There are calls for the capacity of buses and trains to be cut in half because of coronavirus.
It comes after the Health Protection Surveillance Centre yesterday confirmed nine new cases of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland.
Dermot O'Leary, from the National Bus and Rail Union, said reducing capacity on public transport would help to stop the virus spreading.
He said: "The numbers that are travelling, they are reducing on a daily basis, we feel that they are probably transferring into cars and increasing congestion.
"It will reduce again over the next week or two, no doubt it will on the back of this crisis, and what we are suggesting and asking the companies is to say yes to the same amount of buses, yes to the same amount of trains, but the capacity to be significantly reduced to allow for social distancing as people commute."
Trinity College Dublin has confirmed its second case of coronavirus on the campus.
The college says a student from the health sciences faculty has tested positive and is receiving the appropriate care.
It comes after the first death in Ireland from the virus - the elderly woman who was being treated in Naas General Hospital had underlying health issues.
43 cases of Covid-19 have now been confirmed in the Republic, after nine more were confirmed last night.
The nine new cases in the country include:
- – Four males from the south of the country associated with travel;
- – One female from the south of the country who came into contact with a confirmed case;
- – One male from the south who came in contact with a confirmed case;
- – Two males from the east of the country associated with travel;
- – One male from the east of the country who came into contact with a confirmed case.
