Mr. David O'Connor:

I will start addressing the questions raised by the Senator. I thank him for raising them and reading our report in detail. The matters raised were in our additional material.

On BusConnects, we believe it is not only rational but also essential to have interconnectivity. It is about making the entire city more accessible to everyone. It is about a network that is always available and accessible to everyone. Building it up will take time but it is important. It has been very controversial, however. There were 70,000 submissions, which is phenomenal. This is unprecedented in planning. These are matters we watch and get involved in. Perhaps the number of submissions is a barometer of how important the matter is and how people want to engage with their own neighbourhoods and city. The proposal is really to address the issue of accountability. That is not to say anything about the NTA and the project itself, which we believe are good; it is a matter of proceeding with projects of the kind in question and giving people a say.

We have mentioned the Dublin Transport Authority Advisory Council. It actually exists in legislation but it is a very diverse body. It includes representatives from businesses, communities, the Garda, disability groups, elected representatives and executive services. It is wide in scope. It is typical of many metropolitan transport authorities in America and Transport for London. The Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 states it should, and can, be established, but it does not vest any powers in it. It could be given a nominal power to vote on the transport strategy. At least it would be a forum for this type of debate, but involving councillors, communities and businesses. If the debate takes place upfront, projects might become a bit more acceptable. That is why it is worth proposing.

On advertising, we are aware that the French have introduced legislation to do exactly what has been alluded to, just because the imagery is so incredibly powerful and disconnected. The biggest spend by most of us will be on a car. We are aware that 80% of all trips made by Irish people when they step outside their doors are by car. There is a huge level of car dependency. Most people, when asked, say they would prefer something different, such as a walk in the neighbourhood or cleaner air, but the messaging is very powerful. Perhaps it can be done in a different way.