Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 July 2020
83. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the assessment by An Taisce of Smarter Travel - A New Transport Policy for Ireland 2009-2020 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17593/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI very much welcome the fact that as part of its environmental performance review of Ireland the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is including a chapter on sustainable mobility. This chapter was included at the request of my Department and the OECD’s review will, I am sure, provide an objective, independent and evidence based approach toward assessing the progress that has been achieved and the challenges, often significant, which remain. An Taisce’s submission to the OECD is one of a number of submissions made by different organisations and interest groups during the consultation process that will usefully inform the OECD’s work in the coming months.
The OECD’s review is very timely, as the Deputy will be aware that my Department has itself already launched a review of sustainable mobility policy and held a public consultation process, including a stakeholder engagement event, between November 2019 and February 2020. I intend to publish a report of the public consultation process shortly.
An extensive range of background papers was published as part of this consultation process, including a review of implementation progress relating to Smarter Travel - A Sustainable Transport Future and these papers are available to view on my Department’s website.
I recognise, as does my Department’s review of Smarter Travel, that key targets of the policy were not achieved. However, the Deputy will acknowledge that, following publication of the 2009 policy, the budgetary parameters became extremely restrictive due to the economic and financial crisis which occurred at that time. Funding remained extremely constrained in the years that followed and significant increases have only been possible in the most recent Budgets. The funding available over most of the period of the Smarter Travel policy's lifecycle was much more restricted than envisaged at the time of its development.
I intend to develop a new policy framework for the next 10 years that can provide a strategic backdrop to the increased investment planned by this Government across the sustainable mobility programme. The new policy statement will be informed by the review of the Smarter Travel, submissions received during my Department's consultation period and the views and recommendations of the OECD and will provide a platform to advance the ambitions of the Programme for Government in the area of sustainable mobility, including active travel, and will replace the 2009 policy.
