Transport

In 2022, Green Party Leader and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan launched the Sustainable Mobility Policy which sets out a national framework for active travel and public transport to help people choose more sustainable options and get moving in a greener way, by choosing walking, cycling or public transport.

Public transport is central to our climate and decarbonisation goals and we have introduced a permanent 50% cut in fares for 19-24 year olds and a 20% cut to fares for all ages to the end of 2022.

Currently, road transport accounts for 94% of transport emissions in 2020. Private cars make up 74% of all journeys around the country, with just 7% of journeys made by bus or rail, 14% by walking and just 2% by cycling. The Green Party is working to reduce car dependency and greenhouse gas emissions in line with our ambitious and legally binding targets in the new Climate Act.

Walking & cycling

The Green Party in government has led a six-fold increase in spending on sustainable transport initiatives. Since going into government, funding for Active Travel has increased substantially, going from €45 million in 2019 to €184 million in 2021. Green Party Minister Eamon Ryan has secured record funding of €289 million for walking and cycling infrastructure in 2022, covering approximately 1,200 Active Travel projects across Ireland. We are determined to continue funding projects that make active travel an option for everyone across the country.

The transport sector represents about 18% of Ireland’s carbon emissions nationally, with road transport and private car usage carrying the most significant carbon footprint. We want to facilitate people cycling and walking as part of their daily routine. One of the Green Party's key commitments in government is to deliver safe, connected and coherent walking and cycling networks in and between our villages, towns and cities. We need to make our roads safer and providing a healthier alternative for parents, their children, the elderly and people of all abilities.

Public Transport

Public transport is central to our climate and decarbonisation goals. To help make the switch, the Green Party has made public transport cheaper for everyone, delivering the first reduction in Public Transport fares since 1947. We secured a permanent 50% reduction on public transport for people between the ages of 19 and 23, as part of the Party’s commitment to supporting young people in Budget 2022. 

As part of a range of measures to reduce the cost of living, from May 2022 public transport fares across Ireland were reduced to the end of the year by an average of 20% across Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann PSO routes, Luas, DART, Commuter Rail, Local Link and on TaxSaver tickets.