THINGS GOT HEATED between Green TD Neasa Hourigan and Fine Gael Lord Mayor of Dublin James Geoghegan on Virgin’s Tonight Show last night, as the two clashed over the Dublin Transport Plan. 

The aim of the plan is to reduce congestion in Dublin by diverting through traffic away from the city centre. While it has majority support among councillors, the implementation of the plan falls under the remit of the DCC executive.

The plan has already been approved by the DCC but has faced pushback from groups representing people with disabilities, leading the council to table changes to water down some provisions of the plan. 

The row has escalated this week after Minister of State Emer Higgins intervened and said the plan should be delayed, voicing concerns raised by retailers and other business interests in the capital. 

Higgins has been accused of “major overreach” by members of the Council and criticised for waiting until now to raise her concerns about the plan, after a public consultation was carried out that found overwhelming public support for it.

Geoghegan said retailers and business owners he and Higgins have spoken to are confused about the plan. 

“People aren’t confused because we just did a public consultation and more than 3,000 people submitted to that consultation and overwhelmingly they said, ‘We’re not confused, we want this now’,” said Hourigan.

"All of their concerns were not concerns last year, I'm confused".@neasa_neasa on proposals to postpone the Traffic Plan until at least 2025.#TonightVMTV pic.twitter.com/pR5l4Hh9Ib

— TonightVMTV (@TonightVMTV) July 1, 2024

Higgins is trying “to subvert the democratic process and side with parking associations”, Hourigan said. 

“Minister Higgins did not submit to the public submission even though other Dublin TDs did, and neither did her department. So all of their concerns were not concerns last year? I’m confused.” 

Geoghegan said that he is still in favour of the transport plan but defended Higgins’ actions, saying it was part of “a dynamic process”. 

“In a dynamic process, where we’re trying to get the city moving again, are you saying that no minister can offer an opinion related to the brief that they represent?” he asked.

He said Higgins was arguing, “Let’s have retailers’ voices heard”. 

The plan was approved by councillors in November and public consultations held by Dublin City Council (DCC) also demonstrated support for the plan, but business groups including Ibec have said not enough consideration has been given to the possible negative impacts. 

“This is standard ‘we don’t like the outcome so we will question the process ‘ stuff we see in the Council a lot lately,” Green Party councillor Claire Byrne told The Journal.

She said the intervention from Higgins was “bizarre”. 

“The time to share concerns over this plan was when it was out for public consultation last October, not coming in after the decision was made. 

“Fine Gael supported the Transport Management Plan, the Dublin City Development Plan and Dublin City Climate Action Plan all of which contain objectives to reduce traffic and prioritise public and active transport,” she said.