Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The climate benefits of this are very real. When we look at reducing emissions from transport in our cities, it is interesting to note that moving people from cars to trains and buses unfortunately does not make a huge amount of difference because a 5 km or 10 km journey by car versus a 5 km or 10 km journey by a diesel-powered bus or train does not reduce emissions very much. What really makes a difference is people walking or cycling to work. This is much more possible if they are able to work near their homes. This is why our suburban areas and urban towns and villages can present a real opportunity for people being able to work closer to home if we seize this opportunity.

The vacancy above the shop is very tricky for Ireland because generally the access, unlike in other European cities, tends not to be from a door at the side of the big building but through the shop. It is very hard to turn upstairs into an apartment if it means having to walk through the Spar or the Abrakebabra every time people want to go home. Some things are tricky but they are not impossible.

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