Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Transport, I have no plans to introduce congestion charging at this time. However, there is no denying that congestion is a problem. At a national level, the cost of congestion to the economy is projected to reach €2 billion by 2040.

So to help address the issue of congestion, I recently published for public consultation a draft Strategy 'Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System' along with a draft Implementation Plan.

The aim of this Strategy is to make our transport system more efficient and to alleviate the impacts of car-dependency and congestion on the economy, the environment and the health of our society. As the Deputy will appreciate, by reducing congestion in our cities and towns, we will also reduce harmful emissions, and improve the air quality, safety and liveability of our urban spaces.

By endorsing this approach, the Strategy has the capacity to improve journey times for car drivers, public transport users, business and freight, leading to improvements in local air quality and reduced stress with associated health benefits for drivers and non-drivers alike.

While Moving Together does not contain a prescriptive series of actions, it does provide a firm policy direction and suite of options - such as road space reallocation, progressive taxation, freight efficiency, and behavioural incentives - that can be taken at national, regional and local levels to bring about the systems changed needed.

Other options are congestion charging, urban road user charging, low emissions zones and Clean Air Zones. The draft Strategy recommends the development of legislation to support the introduction of such measures, which would involve working with key stakeholders to review existing legislation and to bring forward legislative proposals to provide sufficient implementing powers, if needed, to relevant agencies and Local Authorities.

However, irrespective of legislation that may be put in place in the future, it will remain a matter for those authorities, along with local representatives, to determine the best measures for reducing congestion and improving the use of space in cities and town.

This Government fully recognises that measures that reduce inefficient journeys are most effective and equitable when alternative, more sustainable, public transport and active travel options are readily available. For this reason, the recommendations being made in the draft Strategy will go hand-in-hand with the extensive range of Government investment and supports already in place or planned for public transport, walking, cycling, and electric vehicles.