The Minister for Transport spoke to members of the media yesterday, saying a ban on cars and commercial vehicles travelling through Dublin city centre will be in place by August, and inviting other cities to join suit.
Minister Eamon Ryan has faced a considerable amount of online backlash in the wake of the proposed Dublin City Centre Transport Plan.
Being presented to Dublin City councillors this afternoon, Thursday, February 8, the DCC Transport Plan aims to stop motorists driving “through instead of to” the capital city.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has said this change will radically transform Dublin, also predicting that other cities will follow suit.
“They will see a transformation this August when we take the through traffic out of the city centre,” Minister Ryan said.
“That’s going to make a huge change in Dublin and we can do the same in each of our cities. Those cities that don’t want to be part of it, they will fall behind. They will stay stuck in this car gridlocked, car dependent system.
The Minister also mentioned that the final decision about any ban will rest with local authorities, but his Department would be happy to pay if they do decide to follow Dublin’s example.
“We’ll provide the funding, we’ll provide the policy background but really this is a matter for local communities or local authorities,” Minister Ryan said. “Do you want to go this cleaner, safer [proposal] or stick with the past?”
X users have jumped to criticise the Minister, one even questioning if Eamon Ryan will still be in place by the time the ban comes into place.
Others have praised the Minister for moving away from the car centric way of living in Ireland.
This news comes as the European Union announced on February 6, that it wants a 90% emissions reduction across the bloc, prior to reaching net zero by 2050.
Minister Ryan believes this reduction is “doable” but challenging, saying: “The only way it would work is if this is not divisive, if this is not politically divisive between rural and urban, rich, poor, young, old.
“It has to be everyone, every place matters, every sector.”
Last year, carbon emissions in Ireland fell by an estimated 4%, up from a 1.9% decrease in 2022.
Could you see Limerick City taking Minister Ryan’s offer up?
