There had been no across the board increase in CIE single standard fares between September 1991 and January 2000, although a number of fares were increased in 1994.
In December 1999 the Government conveyed sanction for Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann and Bus Átha Cliath to implement the fare increases, as set out in the attached tables, in respect of standard single journey passenger fares from I January 2000. Although there had been no increase since 1991 and 1994, the changes in the consumer price index since those two dates were 17.9% and 10.3%, respectively. While the CIE group of companies had sought increasingly to reduce its costs through restructuring plans, payroll and other operating costs continued to increase significantly over the period. Also, the increase in fares allowed the companies to contribute towards the cost of the major investment programme in public transport infrastructure as set out in the National Development Plan 2000-2006.