Dubliners like to give out abut public transport but people living in the capital are “blessed” with good options, Shame Coleman has said. 

Last year, the Government cut public transport fares by 20% and construction is due to start on the MetroLink that will connect the Dublin Airport to the city centre. 

Shane believes the NTA has done “great work” and says people in the capital should acknowledge that. 

“We’re blessed in many ways in Dublin [even though] we give out about public transport; I get the Luas home and it costs me €1.30 - that is for nothing, it really is,” he told Newstalk Breakfast listeners. 

“You wouldn’t get a third of a cup of coffee in Dublin now for €1.30 - so there is value there. 

“There are improvements that have been made but we need to get more people into public transport, we need more public transport and, in certain cases, it does need to be priced better.” 

A DART service to Bray travels along the Killiney coast. Image: Sam Boal/RollingNews

Co-presenter Jonathan Healy in Cork also said “good work” and uses his car much less these days. 

“I am one of those converts - I no longer drive if I can avoid it,” he said. 

“I get the train when I can, then I’ll get the Luas or I’ll get the bus. 

“It’s great that they’ve reduced fares [to] make them much more affordable." 

Despite this, Jonathan believes price disparity is a huge problem  - particularly in parts of rural Ireland.

“But anyone who lives outside of a major urban zone will know that the amount you pay on the bus can vary wildly and bears no resemblance whatsoever to the amount of distance you travel," he said. 

“I’m going to give you an example - I looked at the Irish Rail website this morning; a one-way journey from Cork to Heuston in Dublin on Tuesday morning is going to cost you about 32 quid. That’s the cheapest fare you can get. 

“I then looked at Waterford - guess how much it’s going to cost in Waterford? €13 for Waterford to Dublin. 

“If you’re going from Limerick it’s going to cost you over €50. So, in other words, it’s double the amount of money. 

“I know there’s an extra bit of distance there but why people have to pay more travelling from Cork to Heuston is beyond me.” 

By 2030, the Government hopes only 50% of all journeys in Ireland will be made by private car - down from over 70% last year.

Main image: Shane Coleman and a Luas in Dublin.