Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee. My questions are primarily for Ms Graham. Mr. Creegan mentioned that the national cycle manual was being updated. When will that be completed? There is significant funding going into infrastructure and cycleways at the moment and there is a fear that it is being used to create cycleways based on a document that is ten years old. There are concerns about the designs in that document not being particularly safe for children or new cyclists. In the context of speaking about a social change, that is really where we need to be focusing. When will that manual be completed?

Specifically on the issue of plans and the upgrading and expansion of the NTA's existing capacity, has the NTA modelled the expected level of emissions reduction? Assuming all its plans are in place according to the planned timeframe, what is the modelled reduction in emissions that is expected? When is it expected to see those reductions coming in? In the context in particular of the work the NTA is doing, there are long lead-in times to purchase buses or trains, for example, and if we are looking at a target of 2030 that must be borne in mind. What percentage reduction has been modelled and when is it expected that it will be achieved?

The fact that €10 billion could be required is particularly interesting. That amount of money going into subsidising one particular aspect of the jigsaw that we need would certainly focus the mind. This is a question for all of the witnesses. If it was within their remit to decide where that €10 billion would be best placed, where would they like to see it spent in order to meet our transport emission reductions?