The reliance on cars due to a lack of public transport in rural Ireland is adding to our carbon footprint, according to Social Justice Ireland.
The independent think tank has released its public services’ policy brief ahead of Budget 2023.
It claims that an expanded public sector and increased public services are essential in addressing the rising cost of living.
“If the cost of living crisis is not to overwhelm Ireland’s poorest and most vulnerable, government policy must focus on ensuring essential services are available to those who need them most.
“This means the budget in September will have to address current shortfalls. Additional expenditure will be required in key areas and these will need to be prioritised if Ireland’s poorest are to be protected,” Susanne Rogers, research and policy analyst with Social Justice Ireland, said.
Public transport
Social Justice Ireland outlined that there is a “huge deficit in public transport in rural Ireland”.
“The lack of reliable public transport in rural areas means that rural households are more reliant on their car to access basic services and commute to and from work and school.
“This reliance is contributing to our carbon footprint, with transport being one of the three main contributing industries,” it said.
The organisation added that people in rural Ireland are “forced to use their cars” due to lack of public transport.
“Nearly three quarters (74%) of all journeys taken in 2019 were by private car (as driver or passenger), whereas public transport accounted for just 5% per cent of all journeys,” it added.
Social Justice Ireland called on the government to increase the provision of public transport in rural areas and provide greater investment in sustainable transport, biofuels and invest in hard infrastructure for cycle lanes.
The think tank also urged the government to ensure that there is connectivity to affordable high-speed broadband across Ireland.
The policy brief suggested the introduction of financial literacy education to primary and secondary schools and the development of programmes to enable internet users to critically analyse information online.
“Government continues to look to the market and engage private enterprise to provide the public services that should be part of a basic social floor that everyone in the State should expect,” Dr. Seán Healy, CEO of Social Justice Ireland, stated.
“They do this notwithstanding evidence that it is more expensive and less effective,” he said.
“Consider that 2022 has seen a sudden and sharp rise in the cost of living, 9.6% in the year to June, leading to more people needing supports and public services that a profit driven system will struggle to provide,” Healy added.