Figures from Newstalk’s Transport Survey illustrate why the Government has “lost rural Ireland”, Michael Healy Rae has claimed. 

Amárach Research carried out an exclusive poll for the station, probing the public’s attitude to various aspects of transport policy. 

The survey found 61% of people would be prepared to give up their car if there was “reliable and frequent” public transport and 41% would do so if public transport was free. 

Newstalk Transport Survey | free Public Transport

Close to eight in 10 want more road upgrades and 60% support building more motorways. 

Excise duty is due to increase in September and October this year - a policy 72% said they disagree with. 

Newstalk Transport Survey | Excise Increases

Overall, Kerry TD Michael Healy Rae said the findings showed the public were fed up with the Government’s transport policy. 

“They say they’re paying enough for their transport,” he told The Hard Shoulder. 

“They don’t want the excise duty to go back on, they don’t want the cost of motoring to increase and people want more motorways. 

“That tells me that I was right today when I told the Taoiseach, on the record of the Dáil… they’ve lost rural Ireland in particular - the Government. 

“Because they say one thing but they’re out of tune with the rest of the country; your survey proves that the people in the country want motorways [and] they want more money to be spent on roads - we’ve a Minister for the Environment who doesn’t like spending money on roads.” 

Responding to the finding that a majority of people would give up their car if they had access to “reliable and frequent” public transport, Deputy Healy Rae said it was unlikely ever to be the case. 

“We won’t ever have an adequate public transport service that will cater for all of rural Ireland,” he said. 

“The people living, for instance, in some of the places that I was in over the last couple of days doing my clinics around Kerry. 

“These places aren’t serviced by public transport and won’t be.” 

A Luas tram passes the GPO on Dublin's O'Connell Street in August 2020. Picture by: Andy Gibson / Alamy Stock Photo

Sunday Independent motoring journalist Geraldine Herbert agreed and said there would “always be a need for cars in rural Ireland”. 

“I think it’s highly unlikely that we’re going to have a functioning public [transport] service that will cover the entire of rural Ireland,” she said. 

“I think our one off housing mitigates against that… So, we are always going to have a need for cars.” 

Trinity College Associate Professor Brian Caufield said the poll indicated there is a willingness to embrace public transport among the public. 

“I think there’s definitely been a sea change in how people look at public transport in this country,” he said. 

“About 75% of all trips since 2019 were made by private car; I think there is a demand and a desire for this to change. 

“It’s just about getting the frequency of service.” 

Electric cars

The poll also found that 61% would be more likely to buy an electric car if the cost of running an EV was reduced substantially - something Ms Herbert said is already the case. 

“There’s no doubt about it, you pay a premium for an electric car at the moment if you compare it to a similarly sized petrol and diesel car,” she said. 

“But what I was interested in in the survey was that six out of 10 adults would be more likely to buy an EV if the cost of running one was substantially reduced. 

“The cost of running one is substantially cheaper than a petrol or diesel car.” 

An electric car charging at a charging station in Dublin. Image: Noel Bennett / Alamy Stock Photo

Deputy Healy Rae said he had no doubt in the future most cars would be electric - but that the technology was still in its infancy.  

“Today they are not practical,” he said. 

“For people who have a lot of journeys to do… they’re not practicable, they’re not affordable. 

“And they’re definitely not within the reach of people who are struggling trying to make the ends meet and balance their books at the end of the week.”

The poll interviewed 1,201 Irish adults –  of whom 83% solely or jointly own a car.

Main image: Split of Michael Healy Rae and a driver filling up their car.