Air Quality

Transport also impacts the Built Environment by influencing the proximity of users to transport services and the accessibility and choice of those services.

used to assess transport policies and projects from such a perspective – utilising the associated policy analysis tool developed by the Department of Public Expenditure Infrastructure, Public Sector Reform and Digitalisation. This tool provides a step-by-step guide to analysing the well-being impact within a specific policy area.

The transport sector also indirectly impacts several other dimensions of well-being. At a societal level, the provision of transport is responsible for negative externalities including road deaths and accidents and the production of greenhouse gases and local air pollution.

The OECD notes that improving the monitoring of metrics related to overall Transport GHG emissions, sustainable accessibility, transport affordability, safety and security and local air pollution will help assess the well-being impacts of climate policy interventions across a range of dimensions of well-being.

In addition to these societal level impacts, the transport sector is also responsible for a number of impacts on quality of life and well-being at the individual level, including time-use, and the degree to which people are enabled to use their time effectively by the transport sector.

The evaluation of the Strategy will also have regard to the Just Transition Framework. This Framework was set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021 to guide approaches to implementing climate action policies, through the following key principles:

For example, long commutes are linked to lower levels of physical activity, lower job satisfaction, and a reduction in subjective quality of life.

The transport sector can also have an impact on the physical and mental health dimension of well-being. By enabling the use of active modes such as walking and cycling, the transport sector can influence the levels of physical activity and support positive health outcomes. In addition to time use, another transport factor which can influence an individual’s subjective well-being is their satisfaction with their mode of transport - this depends on a variety of factors including the safety, comfort, and cleanliness of the mode of transport.

ᴏ An integrated, structured, and evidence-based approach to identify and plan our response to just transition requirements.

ᴏ People are equipped with the right skills to be able to participate in and benefit from the future net zero economy.

ᴏ The costs are shared so that the impact is equitable and existing inequalities are not exacerbated.

ᴏ Social dialogue to ensure impacted citizens and communities are empowered and are core to the transition process.

The transport sector can also contribute indirectly to other dimensions. By enabling access to key services and amenities such as healthcare, educational facilities and employment opportunities, transport can impact on dimensions such as Connection to Community and Participation, Work and Job Quality and Income and Wealth. These impacts are evident when considering the transport sector through an accessibility rather than a mobility lens.

Taking all of the above into account, the following metrics will be used in assessing this Strategy:

Air Quality

Air Quality is one of the greatest environmental health risks facing Ireland today. In recent years, the EPA has significantly upgraded its national monitoring network. This monitoring network allows the EPA to access localised, up-to-date air quality information. There are two key drivers of localised air pollution in Ireland - solid fuel and traffic. Solid fuel is the main source of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) which are the air pollutants that are most detrimental to human health.

Building on the OECD’s Redesigning Ireland’s Transport for Net Zero Report, which recommended that Ireland move away from targets based on enhanced mobility and instead target sustainable accessibility in order to enhance well-being, this Strategy aims to identify appropriate metrics for the transport sector which, in addition to more traditional metrics, could be