Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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223. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding fuel consumption in relation to car journeys further to measures outlined in the new Climate Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55276/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Climate Action Plan 2021 is targeting, inter alia, a daily increase of 500,000 in sustainable journeys taken and a 10% reduction in kms driven by fossil fuelled cars by 2030. The increase in sustainable journeys does not equate to a straight line reduction in car journeys. Based on the modelling done by the National Transport Authority, the abatement potential from the bundle of measures that would achieve these targets is 1.4 MtCO2 emissions. The increased number of daily journeys will be achieved by providing more attractive active travel and public transport options to promote a radical modal shift away car usage. In addition, the reduced use of fossil-fuelled cars over that time will be achieved through various demand management and behavioural change measures.

It is important to highlight that reducing overall car kilometres is not about cancelling trips, but rather it is about reducing the need for, and length of, certain trips. That said achieving this level of reduction in the timeframe envisaged presents a significant challenge given that technology advances can only achieve so much and the heavy reliance on the car among certain cohorts of the population and in certain parts of the country where more sustainable alternatives are limited. For this reason, a suite of potential demand management will need to be delivered in a way that achieves a just transition and supports economic wellbeing. As such, I am committed to providing a wide range of sustainable transport options across the country and undertaking further work to determine how best to pursue our targets in a fair and equitable manner.