Transport policy and governance in turbulent times: Evidence from Ireland

• An analysis of transport policy in Ireland before, after & during the Celtic Tiger.
• How governance systems respond to rapid economic, political, and social changes.
• Lessons relevant to sustainable transport policy efforts internationally.
• Identification of opportunities for, and barriers to, more sustainable transport.

This paper investigates transport policy in the Republic of Ireland1 before, during and after the ‘Celtic Tiger’ era (1995–2007), to capture how the prevailing governance system responded to rapid economic, political, and social changes. We argue that a detailed record of changes in Irish transport policy and governance during these turbulent times can offer lessons that are relevant to sustainable transport efforts internationally. Focusing on the development, introduction and subsequent implementation of two transport policy milestones, this paper considers political and institutional conditions that paved the way for both a high-cost approach to transport infrastructure development prior to the financial crisis in 2008 and the subsequent shift in policy discourse towards ‘smarter’ more sustainable travel following the rapid deterioration of public finances in the late 2000s. It then asks what changes (if any) are needed to current political-institutional structures to ensure future implementation of these declaratory commitments to sustainable transport. The concluding section explores whether it would be possible, or indeed desirable, to put current transport policy responses to the economic crisis on a more permanent footing, with a view to advancing the sustainable transport agenda, and uncovers opportunities to promote and implement sustainability initiatives in times of financial restraints.