Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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192. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has carried out a comparison between the benefits in relation to the €100 million EV charging plan announced recently and the potential benefits of investing that money into the public transport system stopping its reliance on fossil fuels, increasing the number of routes available and making it free for customers; if so, if he will provide the details of this comparison study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4706/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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It is clear that in order to meet our 50% emissions abatement target and to comply with the transport sector’s emissions ceilings over two carbon budget periods to 2030, we cannot afford any reduction in the ambition of any of the elements of our decarbonisation pathway set out in Climate Action Plan 2023. Passenger cars account for approximately half of all land transport emissions in Ireland, while emissions from public transport account for an estimated 4% of transport emissions. As such, a rapid transition of our passenger vehicle fleet to zero-emission alternatives, supported by our National EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy, is an integral and appropriate mitigation measure.

The targets that have been set out in the updated Transport Chapter of Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23) are informed by detailed transport modelling undertaken by the National Transport Authority to identify a sectoral decarbonisation pathway that can achieve a 50% reduction in transport emissions by 2030. A report providing an overview of the transport modelling undertaken to support and inform the development of these targets is available at www.nationaltransport.ie/planning-and-investment/transport-modelling/research-and-publication/ .

It is important to note that compliance with our sectoral emissions ceiling targets will only result from an integrated combination of measures, and the decarbonisation pathway set out in CAP23 is premised on an 'AVOID-SHIFT-IMPROVE' framework to achieving greater transport sustainability.  In addition to enhanced spatial and land-use planning measures that can reduce the need to travel by private car in the first instance, the proposed decarbonisation pathway would see a significant roll-out of additional sustainable alternatives and capacity enhancements to public transport services.

In this regard, CAP23 acknowledges that additional public transport services investment will be required to meet the modelled pathway assumptions. As committed to in CAP23, my Department will work closely with the National Transport Authority to develop further analysis to consider the high-level multi-annual programme cost of the additional services required to meet the modelled pathway targets, as part of its 2023 work programme.

The Deputy will also be aware that the National Transport Authority (NTA) hold statutory responsibility for the regulation of fares in relation to public passenger transport services, and the gross cost for the provision of PSO public transport services in 2022 was c.€1.104bn, but this excludes both the Rural Transport Demand Responsive services (which had an estimated cost of €18m) and also the very significant increased cost of providing additional services that would in turn be required to meet the increased demand generated by free fares.

Finally, Government remains strongly committed to providing all citizens with reliable and realistic sustainable mobility options, and Budget 2023 included the continuation of measures to reduce the cost of public transport, including the extension of the 20% fare reduction on PSO services so that everyone will benefit until the end of 2023. The 50% reduction available for young adults on both PSO and commercial bus services was also extended until the end of 2023, which will be supported by new and enhanced bus and rail services throughout 2023. These are all part of a €563 million funding package to support PSO services.  That package is hugely significant in the context of providing accessible and affordable transport options, and is addition to the EUR360m provided annually to develop and further upgrade Ireland’s active travel infrastructure nationally, in support of a shift to more sustainable modes of travel into the future.