Rothar

Air quality is something authorities don't pay attention to. It is invisible, nobody thinks about it and it is not a political topic.

Thing is, even very little air pollution stunts children's lungs, makes people sick and has an impact on brain function.

The link between the pics? Tomorrow we will install an air quality monitor on our building. Details to follow!

Too lazy to write yet another post about why this is a bad idea.

I'm just wondering why people in power keep ignoring the evidence - is it just political calculation?

Whatever it is, it it won't make roads safer. 2026 is looking grim when it comes to deaths and casualties on the road. And guess what? Things won't change even when people are wearing plastic hats and yellow pieces of clothing.

This is unbelievably short-sighted and another proof that this government is clueless when it comes to transport.

E-scooters have proved everywhere else that they are a brilliant solution for last mile transport: the barriers to get them is very low compared to any other modes, including good quality ebikes (also, you need to know how to ride a bike!), and they're easier to put in the boot of a car or in a small living space.

They can help people getting to jobs that start before public transport starts running for people who cannot afford a car - this is something that our so called leaders do not have any clue about. Transport poverty is a real thing in this country, but you cannot expect the ruling class to know anything about it.

And obviously, this would totally hide the fact that the agencies in charge are not doing their job. As the very wise Dublin Cycling Campaign points out, ci******es are controlled at points of import and retail, so are fi****ms, motor vehicles and medicines. Why is it so difficult to apply the same controls to e-scooters and other illegal electric vehicles on two wheels?

The laws exist, give the agencies the means to enforce them instead of punishing law-abiding citizens and banish something that take cars off the roads in the middle of a climate breakdown.

had to take their outdoor area down. DCC refused planning permission. Why is it annoying me so much? Well, if you know that stretch a bit, you'll know that the footpath is used as a car park all the way to St Peter's Church. Besides the legality of it, why is it that it's all grand for a footpath to use as a car parking space at all and make it impossible for a business to have seats? There is a serious problem with what our local authorities see as intrusion. I would rather have a coffee outside than have to navigate SUVs as a pedestrian.