Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy has posed a range of specific questions as to what may or may not happen, but this matter has not been given detailed consideration in my Department. While I am not avoiding the question, I cannot say how much it might cost or whether it will be revenue neutral or self-financing. The issue has not been dealt with in that kind of detail, although it has been mentioned in the national climate change strategy and in a previous DTO study, both of which are available in the Department. To my knowledge, however, we have not received any specific proposals on this matter from Dublin City Council or Dr. John Lynch of CIE. The Deputy's point is well taken, it is not reasonable to talk about congestion charges when no alternative is in place. However, we must see this in the context of all that will occur in Dublin city centre in the coming years. Dublin City Council is examining a plan to manage traffic in central Dublin, which will have a major effect further out. That will obviously require a large number of buses and that is being examined as part of the traffic management plan.

As regards consultation on the sustainable travel and transport action plan, in the next two to three weeks I hope to have that discussion document available. We will have a couple of months in which to discuss that publicly. The issue will be raised in that document and people will have an opportunity to make their views known.

See this speech in context