Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The second question relates to the specific sector of transport. Would Professor Barrett agree with the analysis of, I think, Professor Edgar Morgenroth that our national planning framework was right in terms of bringing development back to the core, which helps to cut down carbon as well as creating a better and much more economically efficient society? Instead what we ended up with in the national development plan was the same-old, same-old approach - 63 motorway and national roads projects and the same-old development model. What Professor Barrett says in regard to the recommendation of the Citizens' Assembly, which we are considering, and a shift much more towards public transport, is that this needs further analysis. Would Professor Barrett recommend to this committee that we reopen the national development plan, given that the Government has admitted that it is completely failing? In regard to carbon, Professor John FitzGerald said that we are completely off-course and heading rapidly in the wrong direction. Does that mean that if we are to take the recommendation of the Citizens' Assembly seriously, we need to reopen the national development, which I am sure Professor Morgenroth would recommend?