Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To come back to what I said about the OECD criticism that we were fostering a car-based system by design, part of the problem with that was our broader modelling in this sense. If you looked at a road project, it would be a small section, you would upgrade the road and the time savings on that in terms of quicker journeys, how much that was worth and "X", "Y" and "Z" and you would suddenly get a massive cost-benefit gain. What we were not modelling previously was whether we were inducing traffic, creating a dependence on a certain type of system and not properly counting the carbon or the other externalities we mentioned earlier. That is changing. The NTA's modelling is improving in its sophistication and the way we assess transport projects is changing. The modelling cannot bring it back down to the exact curbside and what the impact is if someone is parked the wrong way. It does not provide that level of detail but there are other mechanisms for addressing that.

The Cathaoirleach is correct about enforcement and how An Garda Síochána and the RSA have a key role to play in making sure our roads and people's behaviour are safe. We had a problem coming out of Covid. It is very uncertain as to why there was a spike in road fatalities and injuries last year. One possible cause was the fact that during the lockdown periods, we did not have as significant enforcement as we had previously or traffic volumes might have been lighter and motorist behaviour changed. We need to enhance matters. I know the RSA and An Garda Síochána are looking at this.

I had a meeting yesterday concerning the latest review of road speeds. This has a role. What the Cathaoirleach said is true. Whenever road usage is assessed, a very high percentage of car journeys are above the regulated speed limit. Nobody can hold up his or her hand and say he or she is perfect but the implications of that, particularly if it is a heavy vehicle, are more significant from car, van or truck drivers. We are reviewing road speeds and looking at examples introduced that have been successful such as the Dublin Port Tunnel where there is an average speed camera system. That is expensive infrastructure to put in but we can use those sort of measures. It is a matter of changing everything. It is a matter of moving towards promoting more sustainable transport modes and policing the existing one better and this involves An Garda Síochána, the RSA, local authorities, TII and the NTA and their responsibility for the road network.