Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the witnesses for all of their work on this assembly. It is a really important contribution to the work of this committee and, it is hoped, the work of Government. I hope that will be borne out by the actions on the recommendations. There is one area I want to focus on, which is the recommendations around transport. It is a particularly difficult area for Ireland. We have very particular challenges with regard to transport because we use a lot of fossil fuels and we are heavily car dependent. I noticed that the recommendations point towards opportunities to increase public transport. Much Government policy points towards the opportunity to create positive habits in younger people in order that they might increasingly use public transport or walk or cycle and then take that into adulthood. Do the witnesses think there are opportunities to increase the number of trips that are taken on bicycles and people walking to school and other areas?

Another recommendation is with regard to reducing the cost of public transport and increasing accessibility. Would that encourage them and their friends and school mates to do the same?