Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
378. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Transport his views on formally requesting that Moscow and Minsk be removed from the EuroVelo Route 2, which starts in Moscow and ends in Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38673/23]
View answerEuroVelo is the European cycle route network – comprising of 17 long distance cycle routes passing through and connecting 42 countries. The network is coordinated by the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) in cooperation with the individual countries through which the route passes. EuroVelo 2, also known as the Capitals Route, is a 5,500km long- distance cycling route passing through seven countries from Moscow to Galway.
The Irish segment is c. 270km long running from Dublin to Galway. Approximately 110km of the route from Maynooth to Athlone Castle is located on an off-road cycleway or Greenway, it is a Government priority to extend this Greenway from Athlone to Galway, creating an dedicated inter-city route for cyclists and walkers. The project is being funded by the Department of Transport and being progressed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the relevant local authorities.
The Department of Transport funds the payment of an annual fee to the European Cyclists Federation (ECF) in relation to the National EuroVelo Coordination Centre, resourcing for this centre is provided by Sport Ireland. The Department of Transport has liaised with the ECF in relation in relation to the status of the EV2 route and have been advised as follows:
“ECF is currently not involved in any ongoing projects to develop EuroVelo2 or any other EuroVelo route in Russia, does not have a national coordination centre in Russia for EuroVelo, and would not consider any such projects or initiatives under the current circumstances. Apart from this, as far as we are aware, Russia is also not benefitting from any public funding, be it from EU or from other sources, in relation to EuroVelo”.
The ECF also advised that ‘any route changes are not made unilaterally by ECF but as part of a wider process in line with our governance structures and procedural guidelines’. The Department of Transport will contribute to any review that may arise in relation to this matter but the adjustment of a EuroVelo route does not fall under the remit of the Minister for Transport.
If the Deputy has any further questions relating to this matter, the ECF would be best placed to answer those queries.
