Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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85. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if analysis has been completed to study the way in which or if the completion of active travel projects have had a material effect on the carbon emissions of commuters in County Dublin, or across the country. [63312/25]

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I ask the Minister for Transport if any analysis has been conducted on the completion of active travel projects and, in particular, any impact they may have had on the carbon emissions of commuters in Dublin or across the country.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy for asking this very important question. Based on large-scale surveys and analysis from the NTA's Walking and Cycling Index 2023 for Ireland’s five metropolitan areas - Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick-Shannon, and Waterford - active travel is delivering significant environmental benefits nationally.

Walking, wheeling and cycling in these metropolitan areas remove approximately 680,000 car trips every day, reducing congestion and meaningfully cutting emissions. In 2023 alone, active travel saved an estimated 160,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to 2.2 million passenger trips from Dublin to London Heathrow. In addition to environmental benefits, the economic impact of active travel across the five metropolitan areas is estimated at over €3 billion annually, alongside major and important improvements in public health and air quality.

The Deputy refers specifically to commuters in County Dublin and I am delighted to say that every day those commuters who walk, wheel or cycle are taking nearly 530,000 cars off the road in the Dublin metropolitan area. These practices are saving approximately 120,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. I have more figures here for the Deputy.

To ensure we are moving in the right direction, the NTA, in conjunction with the relevant local authorities, has produced a transport strategy for the greater Dublin area, as well as metropolitan area transport strategies for the cities of Cork, Limerick and Waterford, with one under way for Galway. These strategies set out the measures that will help us achieve a 51% reduction in emissions by 2030 and set us on a path towards zero net emissions by 2050.

To verify that the measures in the strategies are being implemented in a co-ordinated, effective and timely manner, the NTA will undertake a monitoring programme and will produce a report which will be finalised for the greater Dublin area in advance of the review of the strategy for the greater Dublin area, which is due to commence in 2026.

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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My constituency of Dublin-Rathdown has seen significant change during the past five years through the development of active travel greenways and other similar schemes. Over €80 million has been spent, with €29 million allocated in 2025 alone, to support the various commitments in the national sustainable mobility policy to get people out of cars to walk and cycle instead, as well as the climate action plan which aims to reduce transport emissions overall. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, of which I was a member, led the way on these schemes. Kilometres of lanes have been built, concrete and plastic dividers have been installed, junctions have been narrowed, filter lanes have been removed, roads have been closed and new traffic lights and traffic sequences have been installed. After five years of investment, and counting, we still do not really have any clarity as to whether this investment is actually delivering because we do not really know whether our emissions have been reduced. We have estimates and surveys but have we actually done the assessment before all of these things were implemented, and afterwards, to see whether the emissions were actually reduced?

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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As I said, large-scale surveys were carried out in 2023. That is what we have at this stage. When we are investing money in active travel we want to make sure before we start that it will actually deliver what it says on the tin and we want to see afterwards if we got the necessary outputs. That is the same for every infrastructure project we carry out. There is an assessment carried out before projects are started to see what benefits they will bring. I will go back to the Department to see what other data we have or hope to get because, from my own background, I understand that if we are spending money on something, we have to find out if it is value for money, and not just in an intangible way. We have to see the facts and figures. It is important we see the outcomes that are delivered from the investment of taxpayers' money in these projects. I welcome the Deputy's question on this matter.

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I appreciate that the Minister of State and I seem to be singing off the same hymn sheet. I attended one of the original proposal meetings on what are now called "active travel schemes" back in 2020. The overseeing consultants assured us then that traffic would just disappear if we implemented these schemes. The only real, empirical report I am aware of is on Kilmacud after new cycle lanes, road closures and various other infrastructure were implemented. It showed traffic did not disappear but was just displaced, with increased rat-running car speeds. After that particular scheme, there was actually less walking and cycling in the area. Anecdotally, my constituents in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown report that they are making longer journeys than they did five years ago. For example, a constituent recently highlighted to me that when doing the big family shop, her 3 km car journey from Dunnes Stores in Cornelscourt took her 45 minutes.

One possible consequence of a lot of these investments has been increased motor vehicle congestion. I accept some people are definitely walking and cycling more. I know that from anecdotal evidence from constituents as well. However, others are driving more and taking longer journeys. My question, therefore, is whether overall emissions are up or down.

Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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If we cannot say, do not know or do not know yet, then do we know if we are pouring good money after bad?

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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From the surveys and data I have given the Deputy, I am convinced we are reducing CO2 emissions. In my own opinion, having been talking about this issue for the past hour and a half, when we put in active travel measures we need to talk about having effective public transport. We have an integrated transport travel system that will give an experience to pedestrians, cyclists and people using public transport so they will continue to use that. As regards some of the improvements we have to make, in order to get more cars off the road we have to be able to say to people that they will be able to get to places on time, will be able to go shopping and get a bus back, will be able to get to work because a service will be there for them, and that they will have a bit of comfort in whatever mode of transport they use. That is the challenge and with the demands we have, it is important we continue to challenge ourselves to make sure we are delivering value for money and getting the results we want.

Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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We will take Deputy Bennett's question and a brief response.