Cyclist criticism and active travel
Deputy Bacik condemned remarks made about cyclists and highlighted the dangers cyclists face on Irish roads. The Taoiseach rejected stereotyping, reaffirmed support for cycling and active travel, and outlined substantial investment in walking and cycling infrastructure.
I was deeply dismayed by the negative remarks about cyclists made by Judge James O'Donohoe. My colleague Deputy Ciarán Ahern has submitted a formal complaint to the Judicial Council and I note that many judges have expressed criticism. Some judges even cycle, as many of us in the Oireachtas do. Unfortunately, the comments generated a great deal of negativity. We have seen some scapegoating of cyclists in public discourse. It was appalling to see the Irish Road Haulage Association use the opportunity to punch down on cyclists this week. Fourteen cyclists were killed on our roads last year and 45 were killed in the past five years. Cyclists are vulnerable road users. We, as a country, should be encouraging more people to cycle and promoting cycling as a safe option. For all sorts of reasons, including climate action and public health reasons, this would be positive. It would also be positive in tackling traffic congestion and the proliferation of private vehicles on our streets.
During the term of the last Government, the Green Party made a commitment to ensure proper investment in cycling. Will the current Government tackle the negative narrative around cycling and invest in cycling infrastructure?
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All parties in the last Government invested hugely in cycling. Successive Ministers for public expenditure, in particular, invested very significantly in active travel more generally, and that is to be seen across the country in the form of transformative projects. That is a good thing. I reject any stereotyping or categorisation of cyclists.
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I do not want to breach any rule concerning the separation of powers but I am very clear that any general comment that impacts negatively on the perspective on cyclists is wrong. It should not be made. We should be very clear about the importance of cycling and about facilitating cyclists.
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Also, we should be very careful regarding contested space on our roads to ensure that we protect cyclists.
About €1 billion been invested since 2021 in walking and cycling projects across the country. The active travel and sustainable transport programme of the National Transport Authority, NTA, continues to be very significant, with higher amounts being provided again this year.