EAMON RYAN HAS said he is motivated less by ideology and more by practicality, as he defended his approach to transport spending.

The Transport Minister said prioritising public transport projects and active travel infrastructure over road-building developments was the correct strategy.

The Green Party leader has faced discontent from some members of his two coalition partners, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, who have expressed concern that some major road schemes are being put on the long finger.

Ryan was speaking ahead of a planned review of the spending priorities in the National Development Plan.

The coalition’s programme for government commits to spending twice as much on public transport and active travel than on road construction.

Ryan highlighted there was about €100 billion worth of capital projects in the planning and development stages, but only €35 billion available under the National Development Plan.

“Politics is always about choice in terms of priorities,” he told RTÉ Radio One.

“And no-one is saying that we’re not going to do a particular project, it is a matter of timing.

“Because there’s €100 billion of projects and there is €35 billion worth in finance available.

“So you can be dishonest and say we’re going to build everything all at the one time. That’s not possible.

“But I do believe it’s appropriate for us to make choices where we are meeting what we agreed in the programme for government.”

Ryan said focusing on public transport and active travel, such as cycle paths, was addressing an “imbalance” that had been created over 50 years.

“There was and is significant spending on roads and that will continue and that will be a very important part of the overall solutions we need,” he added.

“But we also need to invest in public transport and that is something that I am committed to, not just out of ideology but because it works.”

Ryan continued: “I am very much in favour of us redressing the imbalance in favour of investing in walking, cycling and public transport.

“That is true, because in my mind over the last 50 years we haven’t made those investments.

“There’s been a shortage of new bus services, new rail services, making it safe to walk and cycle and I absolutely think that’s not ideological, I think it’s actually addressing an imbalance in our country.

“And it’s not against the motorist, because if we just rely on the car for everything, then we just get gridlock on our roads and it doesn’t work for anyone.”