Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am mindful that there are just over 20 minutes left, so I will be brief. Previously, we spoke about the cost-benefit analyses of infrastructural projects. On the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action, which I Chair, a theme that surfaced repeatedly was that our methodologies for appraising major infrastructural projects were inappropriate for the challenges facing us. The time horizon is generally set to 30 years and the discount rate is 4%. It is almost as if the infrastructure will disappear after 30 years and have no value beyond that. As Deputy Canney rightly pointed out, if we invested the €150 million or €200 million now that it might cost to get the western rail corridor back up and running, the corridor would be there for 100 years or, with the right maintenance approach, 200 years. On the other hand, other types of infrastructure can induce driving, and even electric vehicles, EVs, have a significant fossil energy cost depending on from where the source energy comes. I would like to hear the witnesses' thoughts on these points. Are there examples of countries that have changed their appraisal mechanisms for major infrastructural projects such that they actually factor in the projects' low-carbon or high-carbon intensities? There are other additionalities. For example, we spoke about opportunity cost and not factoring in other considerations. It is not just about carbon cost. There are other reasons. For example, we do not want a car-dependent society because of the inequalities and serious knock-on effects for our population.