Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

31. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to make cycling in Dublin city and all cities here safer for commuters; the number of accidents involving cyclists last year; the number of cyclist fatalities last year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15135/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Transport Authority (NTA) is responsible for the provision of public and sustainable transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area and the regional cities. The NTA provides funding to local authorities for a range of schemes to benefit cyclists, including the provision of infrastructure, and other measures to improve safety for commuters under the Sustainable Transport Management Grants Programme. Given this, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct response on their investment in cycling infrastructure. If you do not receive a response within ten days, please contact my private office.  

There were five cyclist fatalities last year, out of a total of 190 deaths on our roads.  The RSA informs me that provisional analysis - and I must stress that this is provisional - indicates that approximately 690 cyclists were involved in collisions in 2013. We will continue to encourage cycling as a healthy and environmentally friendly mode of travel.  At the same time, we recognise that cyclists are particularly vulnerable road users.  The current Road Safety Strategy, which runs from 2013 to 2020, contains a number of measures to ensure greater safety in cycling.  These include: education to promote use of personal protection equipment and high visibility clothing; developing a standardised road safety cycling proficiency training programme for schools; and evaluating the cost-benefit of reducing VAT on personal protection equipment.