Public sector workers in city centres will be brought in line with their private sector colleagues and should not “expect” car parking, Green Party Minister Ossian Smyth has said.
Cabinet approved the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate that will “phase out” parking in public sector buildings over time.
As they launched the mandate at Tom Johnson House in south Dublin, which will become the new headquarters for the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, Minister Smyth and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said that there would be parking for just 10% of employees.
READ MORE: Cabinet to discuss plans to 'phase out' public sector parking and end use of disposable cups
The mandate will phase out, over time, the use of parking in buildings that have access to good public transport and active or shared mobility options, while ensuring that sufficient accessible parking is maintained for those with physical mobility issues or staff who may work out of hours.
Minister Symth said that the plan will bring public sector workers in line with their private sector counterparts.
“There's some guidance in this document about parking in the public sector.
"There will only be parking for 10% of employees there, which is absolutely normal in the private sector.
“I think it's what you've come to expect if you got a job, if you were hired for a position, in the private sector in the city centre. You wouldn't expect to have a parking place, except a few if you required it perhaps for mobility. Perhaps there would be a very small number of spaces for people who absolutely needed it.
“I think that makes sense. I think that's something that the private sector has been doing for a while and I think it's something that is expected by the public sector.
“We're leading by example.”
Other measures in the mandate include ceasing the use of disposable cups, plates and cutlery in any public sector canteen or closed facility, excluding clinical and healthcare environments.
Minister Smyth said: “We just just don't provide them in the cafes and the canteens.
“We expect that very soon that when you're in the Dáil canteen that you won't see paper cups up there, for example, and the same thing across the public sector.”
He also stated that the “latte levy” or “disposable cup levy” will be introduced across society this summer.
There will be a three month “transition period” across the summer before it is formally introduced.
Fossil fuel heating systems will also be phased out of public sector building from 2023.
Other measures include procuring only zero-emission vehicles when possible, eliminating paper-based processes as far as is practical and promoting the use of bicycles and shared mobility options by providing facilities like secure bike parking, shared mobility parking and charging stations.
The Mandate applies to all public sector bodies covered by Climate Action Plan decarbonisation targets, except for local authorities, commercial semi-state bodies and schools.
READ NEXT:
- Eamon Ryan admits he's 'not fully aware' of SHIEN as he defends fast-fashion firm's Dublin launch
- Four large buildings to provide accommodation to asylum seekers in coming weeks
- Asylum seekers flee Clare hotel after local protesters block access with tractors
- A peek inside Conor McGregor's €3.1m Lamborghini Yacht - 'Supercar of the Sea'
- 'Business as usual' - Daniel Kinahan still involved in boxing despite manhunt
For the latest news, sport and showbiz headlines, visit our homepage
