Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I understand the Minister for Transport raised the issue of congestion charges at Cabinet this morning. Congestion in our towns and cities needs to be tackled. We need more pedestrianised streets and car-free zones. We need free public transport, which the Government is opposing, but we do not need congestion charges, which are a bad idea on at least two fronts. First, they penalise ordinary people trying to get to work and people struggling with the burdens of a cost-of-living crisis. Second, they alienate the general public from the climate agenda that needs to be embraced if there is to be a future for the next generations. What is the Taoiseach’s position on congestion charges? Does he appreciate the scale of public opposition which will emerge should the Government decide to go down this road?

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