Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Má thagann sé, mar a dúirt an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. The Government will not oppose this motion because we agree with the central argument set out in Deputy Connolly's speech. The OECD report she refers to is exactly right in that it is system change we need, rather than just tinkering with measures within it. This is a useful opportunity to consider that and to consider how it might apply in Galway if we take it as an example.

On decarbonisation, we have to halve our emissions in this decade and reach net zero in three decades. We are in the middle of reviewing the climate action plan and about to publish the next iteration of it and it seems to me that transport will be the most challenging sector to reduce emissions in. In each of the other sectors, such as energy or agriculture, there is a clear economic opportunity and new technological developments which give us the capacity to reduce emissions in a way that is not as difficult as in transport, where we are going against 50 to 60 years of transport patterns set in place by a transport system that prioritised, as the Deputy says, a car-based private transport system. That is not in any way to criticise anyone who is driving. This will not work if it is a case of pointing the finger and engaging in recriminations but it is a reality that we have created a dispersed and car-dependent model in our transport system. It is no longer fit for purpose, neither in climate emissions nor in good transport planning, because when everyone drives, gridlock arises and that works for no one.

We need to change and to halve our emissions in this decade. In acknowledging that in our programme for Government, the Government clearly set out key system changes that will help us to deliver that change. The first change is a commitment to a 2:1 ratio in new public transport versus new roads. It is taking time to get up to that ratio. It will take a number of years because it takes time for anything to get through our planning system, which means major public transport projects are delayed. However, we are committed to that and it is an important part of the ask. Second, we must commit 20% of the capital budget to active travel, including walking and cycling. We are on target for that, we spent that ratio this year and we are seeing a huge pick-up in the ability of the local authorities to look at devising new projects for same. A third element of the Government's strategy is in the national development plan, where we recognise that we need better balanced regional development, low-carbon development and compact development, in housing as well as in transport. Again I would have to say that if you look at the reality of what is happening on the ground, that is not being delivered. Half of the housing in the country is still in the greater Dublin area and we need better balanced regional development. We need to do that by investing in public transport in rural areas and in our cities outside of Dublin in particular, and that is starting to happen. We are building the metropolitan rail in Cork, we are seeing the start of works to reopen the Foynes line in Limerick and there was a major investment decision two weeks ago in Waterford. There is development but Galway needs to be part of that solution, perhaps more than any other city or county, because I agree with Deputy Connolly that it has perhaps some of the worst traffic problems in our country for a variety of different local reasons which we can go into here and now.

Our sustainable mobility policy is in line with what the OECD report is saying and the national investment framework for transport backs up what the report says. Those policies state that the first priority is active travel, the second is public transport and it is only if you cannot meet your transport needs at that point that you might look at private transport solutions that are car-based with road investment and so on. Critically, there is a hierarchy in investment such that you have to use existing assets first and foremost and look to see if you can optimise the use of existing assets before you make investment in new infrastructure. I want to use that framework to consider what is happening in Galway and as an example of what we need to do there. The Deputy referred to the decision of An Bord Pleanála, which is welcome to my mind, and which recognised that no one can ignore the climate plans. The Deputy referred to Galway City Council and Galway County Council saying that it was a minor issue or a small issue, but in law they now have to devise a local climate action plan that matches what the Government will be doing. It is not just the Government; it is in European law and it will be strengthened. Galway City Council and Galway County Council cannot ignore climate change and they have to start addressing transport plans that are part of the solution. As the Deputy has said, this may provide us with an opportunity to change tack and deliver some of the system change that would make Galway city thrive as a green, efficient and successful city. To do that, we need to accelerate BusConnects in Galway, as we need to do in other cities. The new network will go to consultation in the first quarter of next year and the real question is how quickly we can deliver it because we have seen in Dublin and other cities where we have looked to introduce BusConnects that it takes too long; it takes up to ten years. What can we bring that down to?

I am encouraged that one of our pathfinder projects, which is designed to try to accelerate what we are doing, is the cross-link project in Galway. I know it has only just gone into planning in September so how quickly it can get through An Bord Pleanála is probably one of the key issues that will decide our success or otherwise. However, I am encouraged that there has been a start to the work on the Salmon Weir Bridge and that quite advanced work has also been done on the Dublin Road. That might provide us with the first significant public transport spine that will allow us to start changing the way the city works. It will not be easy and it will require political courage because it is disruptive but I do not see any alternative in how we solve the problems. As part of the updated metropolitan area strategy, which is due to come for Galway, I commit that we will look at light rail.

We will look in real detail at how could we take that cross-city link and fundamental upgrade in public transport in the city and start developing the demand for public transport services that then allows it to evolve and develop into one of the light rail routes that would be successful in the city. I recognise there have also been significant developments in Galway. There is a new hybrid bus fleet there, which is starting as part of the solutions for this decarbonisation.

With regard to the investment in rail - I am sure Deputy Canney will be interested in this - the critical next step is the publication of the all-island rail review. It has been delayed, unfortunately, because we do not have an Executive in the North. When that arises, hopefully, sooner rather than later, it will provide an opportunity for transformative system change to how we use our rail system, seeing as, for example, the reopening of the Foynes lines, which now we are starting with the civil works, could be part, as I said, of a wider sense of what the western rail corridor is. The corridor is not only from Athenry to Claremorris. In my mind, it is from Ballina to Waterford, and using the underutilised rail lines from Waterford to Limerick, and then with new connections to our ports, starts to give the opportunity for industrial development for freight capacity, and passenger services then following when we start to reopen the lines and start to make them work. That is significant but we must await the final publication of the rail review.

In the meantime, we will invest in that passing loop Deputy Connolly mentioned in Oranmore station and in the second platform there, footbridge, etc. We will invest in Ceannt Station, in upgrading the station, putting in new platforms, putting a new waiting infrastructure, etc., because it is critical as part of the compact development of Galway that we have people living in the centre of the city around that station so that we reduce the overall volume of transport needs rather than merely look to make the switch.

I am conscious, unfortunately, of time. We had a good debate here in recent weeks on the issue of park and ride in Galway. The Galway City Council draft strategy was set out on 10 October. We need those bus-based park-and-ride sites. The three of them were set out in that strategic plan as well as an upgrade of the park-and-ride facilities at Oranmore railway station.

I regret that Deputy Ó Cuív is not able to join me on this although I am sure he may contribute later.

The need for the upgrade now of the Galway transport strategy which is due for review this year gives us the opportunity to look at a new way of how we do transport in Galway and to accelerate those sustainable modes that we know we will need. It will require, first and foremost, real leadership from the local authorities in both Galway city and county. We will support that and back it up in every way we can. The national policies complement what they have to do. Collectively, we need to change tack and deliver the system change Deputy Connolly refers to in her motion which is why we agree with it.

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