Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Donnelly for attending. I echo what Deputy Cathal Crowe said. We are privileged to have somebody of her calibre and dedication in post given the seriousness of the targets we need to meet. I really appreciate her input and guidance. I am a little sceptical in that I do not think we will reach the targets. I am not a pessimist by nature but I do just do not see that there has been the momentum in recent years to propel us to reach the 2030 goals. However, I am comforted by Ms Donnelly's confidence that she will guide us to those goals.

The point I wish to raise might seem an odd one because it relates to an issue that does not really come under Ms Donnelly's remit. In order to get people out of their cars and using their feet, cycling or even using buses, we must have an entire change of attitude towards how we share the roads. At the moment, motorised vehicles have absolute dominance. This is a concern not just because of the volume of emissions but because of the intimidatory way drivers, whether of buses, trucks or cars, treat people on bicycles and on foot. Have there been any interagency discussions as to how we can counter this negativity or superiority complex, which we probably all adopt once we get behind a wheel? It is an issue for the significant number of people who will not use bicycles on the roads and also for those who do.

I will give an example. There are three males in my family, namely, my husband and two sons, all of whom are cyclists. They are the type of cyclist who goes out on a Saturday morning and probably annoys people. There is a need for mutual respect among road users. We have been to our local Garda station on more occasions than I can say because of dangerous situations my husband has encountered coming home from work in Dublin to where we live in Ratoath. He has nearly been killed on numerous occasions. Both the Garda and the people who are at fault in such incidents show disdain for those who are trying either to stick up for themselves or protect themselves. On that basis, I will not allow my children to travel into Dublin city on their bikes. Their father is old and I worry enough about him. I would not let the two lads make that journey by bike.

When are we going to have an inter-agency conversation as to how we can change people's mentality? It is not just about assuming people are lazy and do not want to walk or cycle. Many people would do so if they were less afraid. We have seen the major changes in a number of European cities when people are encouraged to cycle. When I go to Amsterdam, Berlin or even Paris, it is safe to cycle because it has been arranged to be safe. There are problem drivers in those countries too, but they do not have the same access from a space perspective that drivers seem to have in our major cities.

I am totally on board with what Deputy Martin Kenny said regarding rural Ireland. People living in rural areas are not really cycling anywhere other than their local shop or school. There is this idea of everybody living with 1 km of public transport. How will that be facilitated in the medium term with a view to reaching our 2030 targets? I thank Ms Donnelly for engaging with us today.