Eamon Ryan brands Shane Ross 'worst Minister of Transport ever' at transport policy launch

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has called Shane Ross the "worst" transport minister ever as his party launched proposals for light rail projects, free transport and a doubling of funds for schemes.

Announcing the Greens transport manifesto, Mr Ryan declined to commit to non-negotiable issues or 'red lines' in the election and also ruled out any voting pact with other parties.

However, Mr Ryan was highly critical of outgoing transport minister Shane Ross, for failing to progress projects while in the Fine Gael-Independent coalition. He said:

“I think Shane Ross is possibly the worst Minister of Transport that I've ever seen. And that's saying something. I don't mean to be personal about it, but it is just true.

"What's happened the last three or four years, there has been a complete absence of any decision making [by him], any leadership, any initiative, any interest.”

The Greens are proposing new light rail projects for Cork and Limerick and possibly Galway among cities. The party also wants 10% of the transport budgets ring-fenced for cycling supports, laneways and facilities.

There would be a doubling of the transport budget under their proposals as well as what they are calling a re-organisation of major road projects.

However, the party is declining to say which major road projects would be axed.

Dublin Bay North candidate David Healy said anything that contributed towards congestion and focused on bringing more traffic to Dublin could be targeted.

Mr Ryan, while pressed by reporters, declined to commit to red lines or guarantees about any projects or proposals if the Greens were to enter government.

He said priorities would be protecting biodiversity as well as avoiding fines from the EU over carbon emissions.

“What I've been saying consistently is, it is addressing biodiversity, that climate crisis is a key red bottom red line for us. And the sort of parameters are, avoiding fines, adhering to the science, being ambitious, going for something like a 7% target [to cut emissions].”