Commuters face higher ticket prices from next month after the National Transport Authority approved a range of increases to fares.

Dublin Bus customers will see increases of between 2% and 17%. Bus Éireann fares will go up by an average of 6%.

Iarnród Éireann will see rises of up to 14%, and some Luas services will increase by up to 5.7%.

Monthly and annual tickets are not included in today's announcement as increases to those fares were signalled last month.

The authority said the increases are necessary to protect the services in a period of falling State subvention and passenger numbers.

Speaking on RTÉ's News At One, Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny said: "We want to maintain the level of services that we provide to the public.

"And obviously while we are reducing our own costs, we do need to increase revenue in order to be able to maintain the level of services we are providing."