Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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762. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to ensure the targets set out in the smarter travel policy are met, including cycling support and promotion, in view of the fact that a formal statutory public consultation on a draft national mitigation plan is due by mid March 2017. [9761/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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My Department  has prioritised investments that specifically encourage cycling and walking in accordance with Smarter Travel Policy  with the intention of getting people to change their modes of transport in favour of  sustainable travel. Smarter Travel's overarching goals remain the cornerstone of my Department's transport policy. This is recognised and reflected in the Programme for Partnership Government where we commit to ensuring that the €3.6bn investment in the public transport system provided for in the Capital Plan will uphold the principles of Smarter Travel.

The Capital Plan also specifically commits €100m in funding for smarter travel and carbon reduction measures. In addition significant funding is also provided to the National Transport Authority (NTA) on an annual basis for the delivery walking and cycling infrastructure in the GDA and the Regional Cities. This is delivered through the Regional cities grants programme and the Sustainable Transport Measures Programme and behavioural change programmes such as Workplace and Campus travel programmes and the Green Schools Programmes.

The most recent Canal Cordon Report revealed a significant increase in the numbers cycling and walking into Dublin City Centre. We are now seeing more than two thirds of people using sustainable transport modes to enter Dublin in the morning peak. The focus in 2017 will be to continue on this trajectory and review the effectiveness of  the funding programmes delivered to date along with reviews of the Smarter Travel and National Cycle Policy Frameworks to inform future investment decisions.

In order for Ireland to effectively and equitably contribute to the EU emissions reduction commitments in line with the Paris Agreement and the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, an ambitious low-carbon development strategy is being developed. Responsibility for emissions reduction is of course a collective one and Ireland's EU emission reduction targets are national and not sectoral in nature. When all sectoral inputs, including transport, have been co-ordinated, the draft mitigation plan will be available for extensive public consultation before being submitted for approval to Government.