Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the issue of the ongoing closure of the peripheral gates in the Phoenix Park. We can all agree the Phoenix Park was a magical place to be during the Covid-19 restrictions when traffic in Dublin was reduced by up to 70%. A minimal number of cars were accessing the park through the Castleknock and Parkgate Street entrances. The peripheral gates and car parks were closed. The natural landscape was reclaimed and cyclists and pedestrians were prioritised. It showed us that we have been getting the balance wrong in the Phoenix Park. I also think the Office of Public Works , OPW, is not getting it all right at present either. The traffic has returned to 75% of where it was and there is worrying congestion on the roads around the park, creating long tailbacks in the surrounding areas. It can take an hour to get from one end of the park to the other. People who depend on access to the park have been affected, such as the Phoenix Park school, Ashtown Stables, zoo goers, employees at Garda headquarters and visitors who use the park as an amenity. Businesses in the area, which have just reopened, have also been adversely affected. The OPW has announced it will maintain the closure of the gates and it has also signalled there will be further measures to address traffic volumes inside the park but there has not been any proper consultation on it. Critically, there has not been any alternative transport strategy to deal with the 9 million cars that were in the park last year.One cannot just close the gates, cross one's fingers and hope traffic management works itself out. I would welcome an opportunity for the Minister with responsibility for the OPW to make a statement on the OPW's plans for traffic management changes and a mobility study on the Phoenix Park, including any public and stakeholder consultation. In addition, I would ask him for an update on the restoration and reinstallation of the Phoenix Park gates, which were removed prior to the papal visit in August 2018, now nearly two years ago.