Government policy must change to deliver progress on housing and transport

Reacting to the Government’s publication of the Ireland 2040 Plan, Green Party Leader and TD for Dublin Bay South, Eamon Ryan, said: “We welcome the publication of the Ireland 2040 Plan, and we very much welcome the fact that the Government is planning ahead. However, we have real concerns, especially regarding public transport and housing. There is plenty of lofty ambition in the document, but very little detail when you dig down into it.

“The earlier drafts of the National Planning Framework were on the right track – however the loosening of restrictions on one-off housing will see up to 60% of future housing development outside villages, towns, and cities. This, without real, tangible plans for public transport, is a recipe for further sprawl and traffic chaos. The last minute watering down of proposals to concentrate development could undermine the whole plan.

“We agree with many of the objectives set out in the NPF document, but don’t believe the spending commitments are enough to deliver them.

“With the bulk of planned transport investment still going on inter-urban roads, the Government are committing a generation to longer commute times and urban sprawl. While the long-delayed Dublin Metro and light rail for Cork are welcome, they are not going to be enough on their own, and the details for public transport in Cork City are non-existent. Dublin needs the DART Underground, real investment in cycling infrastructure and an upgraded bus network to avoid being crippled by gridlock. Galway, Limerick and Waterford need similar radical transport plans if they are going to be able to grow.

“We welcome the new National Regeneration and Development Agency, but for it to work Fine Gael are going to have to abandon their current housing strategy. Rather than relying on the market, we need specific proposals on which State lands are going to be used to deliver large scale public housing projects.

“The new agency will also have to ensure the one billion euro fund for Local Authorities is targeted at rejuvenating town centres rather than supporting more one off housing. This is not an urban versus rural issue. Rural Ireland depends on the revival of our villages and towns for its survival.

“The climate-proofing of this plan is simply not good enough. The framework should have been supported by a land-use plan, where farmers are rewarded for the storage of carbon, for flood protection, biodiversity and forestry management, as well as for food production. The future for rural Ireland can be best secured by going for this green economy. A lack of vision within the Government is the only thing holding us back from this big opportunity.”