Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I agree with the Deputy that there is a role for shared use of motor vehicles and bikes as we seek to achieve a fundamental change in the nature of transport in Ireland.

Of course shared mobility is not necessarily a new concept and we already have successful examples here in Ireland both in terms of shared car schemes and also shared bike schemes which operate across the country, mainly in the five cities. In relation to shared car schemes specifically, these are principally market-driven initiatives which are supported by local authorities through a variety of means such as access to on-street parking.

The Deputy is likely aware that my Department is currently carrying out a review of sustainable mobility policy. Since the end of the public consultation last year, it has analysed more than 250 submissions that were received, and a report of that consultation process was published on the Departmental website. That report provides an overview of the types of stakeholder who engaged with the consultation process and summarises the different thematic areas raised, including car-sharing and bike-sharing.

In that report the Deputy will see a number of ideas were submitted with regard to promoting shared mobility schemes. The Deputy will also see that there were different views expressed in relation to the regulation of such schemes ranging from those advocating a very permissive regulatory framework to others who argued that good quality regulation would be crucial to guarantee safety, address environmental concerns and ensure consumer protection.

Following the public consultation, my Department is now developing a new 10-year Sustainable Mobility Policy which will be published later this year. The aim is to put in place a new policy that better supports sustainable mobility and a shift away from the private car to greater use of active travel and public transport. Shared mobility has a role to play in changing how we think about our daily travel and facilitating that change.