Junior minister Emer Higgins’s attempt to stall the Dublin Transport Plan is short-term, reactionary populism
Traffic on the quays: Dublin is the 12th most congested city in the world, with an average of 115 hours lost per driver annually. Photograph: Laura HuttonAs the UK heads to the polls later this week in a general election likely to topple the Conservative Party, spare a moment to consider Rishi Sunaks’ latest gambit to appeal to London’s voters.
Ireland is not immune to the political phenomenon of short-termism and reactionary populism. We saw Fine Gael’s Regina Doherty cynically lash out against a supposed “spaghetti junction of cycle lanes” during the European Parliament elections to try to tap into Dublin voters’ frustrations with traffic congestion.
Public transport users, cyclists and commercial drivers all experience frustration with Dublin’s traffic congestion. The plan proposes to do something about this by restricting the manner in which cars can travel through the capital, including the introduction of bus gates on Dublin quays.
Emer Higgins has asked Dublin City Council to delay the Dublin Transport Plan until 2025, presumably so Fine Gael can capitalise on the frustrations of Dubliners without having to do anything about them. The representative body for commerce in Dublin city is the Dublin Chamber which represents more than 1,000 businesses and 300,000 workers, and is supportive of the transport plan.
Department-Of-Transport Regina-Doherty Emer-Higgins
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Poll: Sinn Féin and Fine Gael neck-and-neck in major slumpSinn Féin’s support has plummeted as it becomes tied with Fine Gael for the most popular political party, according to the latest poll.
Read more »
War of words erupts between Coalition partners Fine Gael and Green Party on election trailTense exchange between Dublin MEP candidates Regina Doherty and Ciarán Cuffe over climate actions
Read more »
‘True Irish people don’t do this’ - Migrant Fine Gael election candidate harassedA local election candidate originally from India has said “true Irish people” wouldn’t harass and intimidate on the campaign trail.
Read more »
Elections 2024: Fine Gael ‘giddy’ while Sinn Féin has ‘long faces’ as count beginsFine Gael seems to be “giddy” as tallies for local and European elections are measured – while Sinn Féin have “long faces”.
Read more »
Elections 2024: Fine Gael 'doing better' because I stepped away as leaderFormer Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he believes his stepping away as party leader helped has helped Fine Gael in the local elections
Read more »
Elections 2024: 'I thought voters would see through Fine Gael'Niall Boylan is running on the Independent Ireland ticket in the four-seater Dublin constituency for a European Parliament seat
Read more »