Public transport services provided by the State are subsidised across the world and Ireland is no different to many other countries.
Do you honestly think that a €10 inter-city public transport bus ticket makes a higher contribution to the upkeep of the road network and to the maintenance of the public transport operator's fleet than my train ticket? You're in cloud cookoo land if you do.
Even motor tax receipts don't go directly to the upkeep and maintenance of our road network. Motor tax goes to the Local Government Fund where a large part of it goes towards grants to local authorities to support their general operational activities
So the reality is that irrespective of whether you are a motorist, a public transport bus or rail passenger, your ticket is not meeting the true cost of the journey or of the maintenance of the network and it is subsidised by the State.
At least I am contributing almost €4,000 a year for my train ticket for the service, and in turn I can subsidise some of those I see every day travelling for free!