Greens pedal off on own bike policy

26th May, 2009

Fine Gael Seanad Transport Spokesman and Dublin Central Bye-election Candidate, Senator Paschal Donohoe TD, has asked whether Éamon Ryan’s cycling policy is yet another sign of divisions in Government, coming just one month after he helped Noel Dempsey to launch his own sustainable transport policy.

“We’re getting used to the Greens pretending they aren’t part of the Government in a desperate attempt to distance themselves from Fianna Fáil. But Éamon Ryan has produced a cycling policy just one month after he helped Transport Minister Noel Dempsey to launch his own.

“It’s not clear whether Minister Ryan is representing the Green Party with these new proposals, or the Government. After all, Éamon Ryan stood shoulder to shoulder with Noel Dempsey at the launch of Minister Dempsey’s sustainable transport policy in April, a policy which was produced at taxpayers’ expense.

“Perhaps the Greens were motivated to produce their own proposals following the poor reception which greeted Minister Dempsey’s sustainable transport policy. The lack of any costings, let alone a timeline for Noel Dempsey’s plan saw it thoroughly shelved within a matter of days.

“In contrast, Fine Gael’s Local Government Manifesto has put forward cost-effective plans to encourage cycling, and would put a cycling strategy at the heart of future planning.

“Either way, the Government’s complete failure to persuade more people to use sustainable transport, after 12 years in power, means it’s clearly time to say ‘on your bike’ to this failed Coalition of Fianna Fáil and the Greens.”