DCC must address unequal grants allocation for public cycle infrastructure, say Labour Councillor
- Minister Eamon Ryan’s Constituency received 13 times more than its neighbouring constituency
At the start of National Bike Week, Labour Cllr Darragh Moriarty is calling on the NTA and DCC to correct the unfair imbalance of funding made available for cycle infrastructure to the Dublin South Central area.
The breakdown of Active Travel Grants for 2022, applied for by Dublin City Council (DCC) through funding made available by the National Transport Authority (NTA), shows that the Dublin South Central Area has been allocated €600,000 across six individual projects, while its neighbouring Dublin South East Area has been allocated €7,825,000 across 18 individual projects.
Cllr Moriarty said:
“We all know we have to dramatically reduce our car dependence if we are to have any hope of achieving our climate action targets, but people and communities need to be given the opportunity to contribute so that they can play their equal part in that effort. Here, as we mark National Bike Day today, we have a blatant example of a more neglected part of our capital city, my own area of Dublin South Central, receiving a fraction of what the neighbouring, more affluent Dublin South East Area is receiving when it comes to Active Travel Grants.
“If you look at the total amount being drawn down by DCC, the South Central Area will get about 1% of that, while the South East Area will get 15% – how the Dublin City Council Executive thinks that’s fair is beyond me.
“While there is a further €7,250,000 ring-fenced for joint projects that will benefit both Areas, specifically along the Liffey and Grand Canal, when you look at the allocation for individual projects in each Area, that’s where the imbalance jumps out. On average, you’re looking at €100,000 across six projects in the South Central Area compared to €434,000, on average, across 18 projects in the South East Area.” says Darragh Moriarty, Labour Councillor in the South West Inner City ward.
Cllr Moriarty brought the imbalance to the attention of his Area Committee colleagues, nine of whom put their names to a letter seeking an explanation from Chief Executive Owen Keegan and Assistant Chief Executive John Flanagan, who is responsible for Environment and Transportation. The letter was issued on 26 April and to date, no response or explanation has been received.
“The people and communities we represent deserve better and more accountability than this. The DCC Executive might be able to explain away some sort of higher grants allocation in the South East Area, as it takes in more of the city-centre core than my own area, but I can’t see how you could justify spending over 13 times more.” adds Cllr. Moriarty.