The Irish Green Party has said major road works proposed for Dublin will see the taxpayer incur European fines, as a result of increased emissions, and that funds should be injected into better public transport links.

Speaking today, Green Party Transport Spokesperson Ciaran Cuffe said new road projects in the greater Dublin area should not be a priority for the Government.

The Government has discussed plans for an eastern bypass to link the recently developed Port Tunnel with the M50, as well as new orbital road, designed to circle the city.

These plans are currently on hold, and should be dropped in their present form, according to Mr Cuffe, who was speaking on sustainable transport for the capital.

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Mr Cuffe, unveiling a 10-point plan for a system of sustainable transport said the increased car emission created by these additional routes would cost the taxpayer in fines, by infringing European Union emission regulations.

The Green TD said: "Faced with the likelihood of ongoing high oil prices and the certainty of major fines from Europe if we do not begin to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, we must radically and rapidly change our travel and transport activities. As a country we can, like Sweden, break our dependence on oil, but that is not going to happen if we continue down the same path."

The Green Spokesperson called for funding to be injected instead into improving rail and bus services, and LUAS lines in Cork and Galway.

"Rail services should be strengthened and expanded, and that new high-speed, inter-urban trains could eliminate the need for most of the costly and polluting internal flights that the Government currently subsidises," said Mr Keffe.

“We push for the urgent completion of feasibility studies on light rail systems in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, and we make the case for more frequent, joined-up bus services, accessible timetable and route information, and more, well-designed Quality Bus Corridors," he added.

The Party also called for schools, businesses and local authorities to encourage cycling and walking.

(PR/NS)