Minister of State for Children Brian Lenihan is to ask CIÉ to examine the possibility of increasing the qualifying age for children's fares from under 16 to under 18.
He was speaking at the fourth annual Dáil na nÓg, where delegates also called for increased training for gardaí on youth issues to combat alcohol and drug misuse among teenagers.
Mr Lenihan said he believed the most important issue for young people was the need for more investment in youth facilities.
The issue of raising the qualification age for children's fares from under 16 to under 18 could, he said, be "looked at" by CIÉ.
But he pointed out that there were a significant number of private operators in the market who set their own fares.
Some 200 delegates, elected by Comhairle na nÓg throughout the country, attended Dáil na nÓg, or national youth parliament meeting, in Croke Park on Saturday.
Voting electronically on two main themes - alcohol and drug misuse among young people and facilities for young people - delegates made a number of recommendations.
These included more funding for youth-related activities such as youth clubs, and the commencement of drug and alcohol awareness programmes for primary-school children in fourth class.
Delegates also supported calls for discounts on transport and admission charges to apply to people under 18, the extension of opening hours for youth facilities, and the lowering of the voting age to 16.
Mr Lenihan was speaking at a question and answer session with delegates aged between 12 and 17. The panel also included the new secretary general of the Department of Education and Science, Bridget McManus.
They were questioned on a range of issues including the introduction of a ban on alcohol advertising, the provision of liaison officers for young people at county council level, and the need for the ongoing assessment of teachers.
Others asked Mr Lenihan for assurances that the recommendations put forward by Dáil na nÓg would be implemented.
Responding, Mr Lenihan said there had been significant developments in youth affairs in recent years.
Dáil na nÓg had played a central role in this, he said.The next big challenge was to develop a recreational policy for 12 to 18 year-olds, he added.