Workplace parking - Cuffe should know better

There is an old saying that paper never refused ink, and it seems that some politicians can’t turn down an opportunity for airtime, whether or not they know what they are talking about.

Yesterday, during an interview on Pat Kenny’s radio programme, Ciaran Cuffe provided an astounding performance of studied ignorance about policies that the Green Party have been extolling in relation to the use of the bicycle and motor car.

The Finance Bill is due to be published today with details of the €200 workplace parking levy that is due to be implemented in the five cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford. The levy will have to be collected by employers and deducted from the salaries of those benefiting from the workplace spaces provided for parking.

Mr Cuffe did not know how extensive the parking levy would be in the five cities — whether it would apply to the whole city area or just the city centres.

“I’m guessing it’s at least the city centres, and possibly the whole area,” he said.

Surely it is not too much to expect that a politician should know what he was talking rather than exhibiting his ignorance on air.