Politicians asked to give up cars one day a week

TDs, SENATORS and staff in Leinster House are to be asked to consider leaving their cars at home at least one day a week in a bid to ease city centre traffic congestion.

Proposals to introduce the Dublin Transportation Office’s One Small Step scheme have been referred by the Oireachtas Committee on Transport to the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil, John O’Donoghue.

Transport Committee chairman Frank Fahey TD said the scheme, if approved by the Ceann Comhairle and TDs and Senators, could make it unnecessary to develop a two-storey car park under Leinster Lawn.

The One Small Step scheme is a voluntary travel plan which is currently being rolled out in the private sector and among Government departments in a bid to encourage commuters to leave their cars at home and switch to public transport – or walk or cycle – on at least one day a week.

According to Fahey “it may – we are still looking at it – mean we don’t have to build the Leinster House underground car park”. Under current rules every TD and Senator is allowed a parking space for life, free of charge. Support for the One Small Step programme has already come from a number of TDs and Senators who see the increasing numbers of current and former members who require a car parking space as being unsustainable.

Leinster Lawn, once a green swathe facing Merrion Square was paved over 10 years ago to create a “temporary” car park during the building of an extension to the House’s north wing.

A spokesman for the Dublin Transportation Office welcomed the possible extension of the One Small Step scheme to Leinster House saying it would be “a wonderful display of leadership”.