PUBLIC transport fares have been reduced by 20 per cent until the end of the year.
From today, the reduction applies to Dublin Bus, Luas, Go-Ahead Ireland, Iarnród Éireann and Dart services.
It means that Transport For Ireland's 90-minute fare introduced last year will fall from €2.30 to €2 for adults, and from 80c to 65c for children.
Iarnród Éireann's online fares were reduced last month, while prices on Bus Éireann and Local Link services were also reduced by 20 per cent from the start of April.
On Friday, fares were reduced in the greater Dublin area by 20 per cent.
This marks the first national fare reduction for Ireland's public transport in 75 years.
The government has also implemented a 50 per cent reduction in national fares for all adults aged 19 to 23.
This also applies to all Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann, Luas, Go-Ahead Ireland and Local Link services.
The Green Party said in a statement that this would mean a young person taking the bus in any of the regional cities, travelling five days a week, "will save €3.50 a day, €17.50 a week and €540 to the end of the year".
"Single town fares, such as in Athlone, Balbriggan and Sligo, will drop to 55c," it said.
Young people in this age group will need a student or young adult Leap card to get the discount.
The plan to cut fares was announced by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan in February and was among the measures included in the government's package to reduce the cost of living.
Mr Ryan and National Transport Authority chief executive Anne Graham said it was hoped the reduction would encourage more people to use public transport.
Ms Graham said: "In the first three weeks of the 20 per cent discount being available on Bus Éireann services, passenger journeys have climbed by nearly 10 per cent in the regional cities, with Galway and Limerick now ahead of pre-Covid levels."
