John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Perhaps we will come back to that issue another day. Returning to the legislation, pedestrians give out about cyclists, cyclists give out about car drivers and car drivers give out about heavy goods vehicles. We should legislate for a hierarchy of responsibility so that truck and bus drivers would be responsible for smaller motor vehicles, cars would be responsible for smaller vehicles such as bikes and e-scooters, and everyone would be responsible for pedestrians. Legislation of this kind exists in other countries.

I know the Minister will appreciate the concept of cyclovia, which has been introduced in other capitals and which began in Colombia. It involves cities holding car-free days. In Dublin, this might include those areas within the canal cordon. It would be held once a month. This is a small request to make and there should not be any obstacles in the way. We shut the area down for the marathon once a year. Can the Minister imagine the activity that would be generated in the capital, particularly during the period of Covid restrictions, with regard to pedestrian movements if we implemented cyclovia in Dublin once a month?

Finally, with regard to the Phoenix Park, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. There has been great public movement with regard to bikes and pedestrians. Can we return to pedestrian movement only in the Phoenix Park, even if only on weekends? If we could do so even just for Sundays, it would be a gesture towards those who support micromobility.

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