Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2017
516. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to set out the status of the proposed Boyneside trail project that will run from Drogheda to east County Meath; his plans to progress and prioritise this project to boost tourism in the Drogheda and east County Meath areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31040/17]
View answerThe National Transport Authority (NTA) is responsible for the delivery of cycling infrastructure in the GDA in cooperation with the relevant local authority. Given the NTA's involvement in this project I am forwarding the Deputy's question to the NTA for comment and direct response to you. If you have not received a further reply within 10 working days please contact my office.
The Programme for Partnership Government commits to making additional funding available for greenways into the future and I am pursuing this in the context of the mid-term review of the Capital Plan. When the capital plan review is finalised and there is clarity on the totality of the funding that will be available for greenways in the coming years, my Department will issue further funding calls and local authorities would then be able to submit projects for funding.
My Department's advice to all local authorities wishing to progress greenway projects is to advance the planning and design elements to the greatest degree possible so as to be best placed in the event of future funding calls. Clarity on land ownership and access is also very important. The Deputy may be aware that I recently launched a public consultation process to inform the development of my Department's new Strategy for the future development of greenways. A public consultation paper is available on my Department's website http://www.dttas.ie/public-transport/publications/english/greenways. All interested parties are invited to make submissions by 14 July, 2017 and I would welcome your views as part of this process.
