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

This is a political issue because what it requires, more than anything else, is political commitment at local government level to make hard decisions. The road space reallocation is not easy. It requires budgets, but it is something that is within our control as politicians and within the democratic system through local councils being willing to be ambitious and brave. That is not easy and this is where we need to focus our attention. There is also a benefit in that it can deliver benefits quickly.

It also has a social justice aspect. There are those parts of the country where people cannot afford a car or there are people who, for whatever variety of reasons, are not driving. The benefit in terms of road space reallocation and improving their public transport system, their safe walking route and their cycle environment, is a huge social justice gained. I always keep going back to that as where we should really focus. There may also be other people who are on low incomes and for whatever reasons may have to drive. If we just do this as a punitive thing on them it would have an adverse socioeconomic effect.