Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the NTA to the transport committee. I concur with Deputy Duncan Smith's comment that the NTA is always willing to engage and that is appreciated by all members of the committee.

I saw the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, report this week, which is positive about emissions reductions. We are here to discuss sustainability in transport. We have seen good work being done in agriculture and results being achieved. We know farmers want to and will do more and will get better results. We have seen a significant reduction in emissions from energy and we will also do a lot more in that space with further offshore development that is awaiting planning permission at the moment.

Transport is still a challenge. Its emissions rose slightly, but there is some comfort in the fact that we are slowing down the rise. We have not halted it and we need to go in the opposite direction. Everything we do to make public transport easier, more frequent, secure, affordable and attractive across the board, whether that applies to cycling, walking, buses, trains and so forth, is important. I encourage the NTA to continue to do what it is doing and we will do the same. I do not want the NTA to comment on Government policy. The programme for Government sets out a commitment for a 2:1 ratio of spend on public transport to new roads. Will the NTA comment on that principle? Transport projects are quite long and surety and financial certainty are needed to plan, design and build them. How important is it going forward that the 2:1 spend is retained for public transport to give the NTA and transport companies confidence that they will get the investment that is needed?