Cycling Facilities Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 September 2016

Tuesday, 27 September 2016

Ceisteanna (904, 905, 906, 907, 908)

Tony McLoughlin

Ceist:

904. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding which was spent on greenways here for the past five years in tabular form. [27063/16]

Tony McLoughlin

Ceist:

905. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the names of the greenways here that received sanctioned funding from his Department; and the funding amount allocated to each greenway in tabular form. [27064/16]

Tony McLoughlin

Ceist:

906. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of greenways here in respect of which funding was sanctioned in the past five years and that have been completed to date. [27065/16]

Tony McLoughlin

Ceist:

907. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding allocated to greenways here for the past five years; and the amount of funding which has been drawn down from this allocation in tabular form. [27066/16]

Tony McLoughlin

Ceist:

908. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the names of greenways that are in difficulty at the present time vis-á-vis planning issues, agreement with landowners and difficulties of this nature. [27067/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 904 to 908, inclusive, together.

Under the National Cycle Network (NCN) Funding Programme approximately €23.5 million was allocated over the period 2012 to 2016  to advance cycle routes that provided valuable transport and recreational infrastructure, with the added potential to enhance tourist activity for the areas concerned.  This includes €10 million allocated under the Government Stimulus package 2014.

Under the first tranche of NCN funding for the years 2012/2013, fifteen cycling projects were completed by local authorities across the country with €7 million in funding provided.  Under the second tranche of NCN funding for the years 2014-2016, a further three projects shared in funding of €6.3 million.  Of these three projects only one (in Waterford) has been completed.

In May 2014, a €10 million investment package for greenway development was announced by Government as part of the €200 million national infrastructure package.  Eleven cycling projects were selected to share in this funding and eight of these projects have now been completed.

In July 2016, €3.5 million was reallocated from the second tranche of NCN funding to projects in Kildare, Meath, Westmeath and Longford as two of the original projects selected (Kerry and Galway) were not in a position to draw down their full allocation for 2016.

Details of the projects awarded funding are set out in the following table.

Greenway/Cycle Projects Funded/Status

National Cycle Network Funding Programme 2012-2013 - Projects Funded

Year	Local Authority	Project	Grant award - €	Status/Amount drawn down to date (27/9/2016)
2012	Carlow/Kilkenny	44.5km cycleway linking Carlow to Paulstown to Kilkenny.	463,000	All projects completed and funding drawn down.
	Clare	4km cycleway linking Ennistymon to Lahinch	400,000
	Donegal	195.5km cycle route between Donegal Town and Newtowncunningham	497,000
	Fingal	3km cycle link from Ashtown to Blanchardstown	600,000
	Kerry	1.2km extension to existing cycle/pedestrian route from Killarney to Fossa	143,000
	Limerick	3km extension to the Great Southern Trail (GST) from Abbeyfeale Town to Rathoran.	290,00
	Louth	6.3km greenway from Omeath and Carlingford	678,000
	Mayo	8.8km greenway from Castlebar to Turlough Park	725,000
	Meath	3km cycle/walkway from Drogheda Ramparts to the Oldbridge Estate entrance.	500,000
	Monaghan	4.5km cycle route through Monaghan Town	471,000
	North Tipperary	2.8km extension to the existing N52 walkway/cycleway	335,000
	Offaly	16.8km of dedicated cycle lanes along the R420 from Tullamore to Moate	400,000
	Roscommon	20km of dedicated cycle lanes along the former N6 between Athlone and Ballinasloe (funding withdrawn due to inability to deliver project)	470,000
	Waterford City	3.2km cycleway between Tramore and Waterford City	289,000
	Waterford Co	6.4km cycleway between the City Outer Ring Road to Tramore	310,000
	Westmeath	11.3km upgrading of canal tow path from Boardstown Bridge to county Boundary	451,000

*Outside of the NCN Programme Kerry Co. Council received funding of €200,000 in 2012, approved in 2010, to complete the Tralee/Spa/Fenit 1.8km cycleway.

National Cycle Network Funding Programme 2014-2016 - Projects funded

Year	Local Authority	Project	Grant Award - €	Status/Amount drawn down to date (27/9/2016)
2014	Kerry	Phases 2 & 3 of the Glenbeigh to Reenard Trail from Glenbeigh to Cahirciveen (26km)	3,458,281	Not completed. €428,246 drawn down to date.
	Galway	Galway to Moycullen Greenway (12.4km)	2,000,000	Not completed. €37,059 drawn down to date.
	Waterford	Clonea to Durrow Greenway (7.2km) (completed)	897,739	Completed and funding drawn down.

Reallocation of NCN Funding from current programme - July 2016

Year	Local Authority	Project	Grant Award - €	Status/Amount drawn down to date (27/9/2016)
2016	Kildare	Spin Bridge to Chambers Bridge (section of Galway to Dublin Greenway)	562,881	Work in progress.
	Meath	Croboy to Moyvalley and Blackwater Aquaduct to Cloncurry (section of Galway to Dublin Greenway)	1,972,000	Work in progress.
	Longford	Abbeyshrule to Longford Bridge, Ballymahon (15.2km) (extension to Mullingar to Abbeyshrule Greenway)	513,000	Work in progress.
	Westmeath	Garrycastle to White Gates (2.2km) (extension to the Mullingar to Athlone Greenway)	496,187	Work in progress.

Stimulus Funding 2014 - Projects Funded.

Year	Local Authority	Project	Grant Award - €	Status/Amount drawn down to date (27/9/2016)
2014	Clare	Phase 1 of the West Clare greenway from Ennis to Ballymacquiggan (5km)	400,000	Scaled back 3.5km project delivered. €388,097 drawn down.
	Kerry	Phase 1 of the Glenbeigh to Reenard Trail from Cahirciveen to Reenard Point (Fertha Greenway) (5.7km)	450,000	Not completed. €72,693 drawn down to date.
	Kerry	Tralee Fenit Trail - Phase 1 Rock Street to Casement Station (.42km)	345,000	Completed and funding drawn down.
	Kildare	Arthur's Way Greenway - Leixlip to Oughterard via Celbridge/Castletown (25km)	311,000	Completed and funding drawn down.
	Limerick	Patrickswell to Limerick City cycleway (4.14km) #	420,000	Completed and funding drawn down.
	Mayo	Monasteries of the Moy (14km) - part funding of overall project	250,000	Completed and funding drawn down.
	Roscommon	Boyle to Lough Key Forest Park (24km) - part funding of overall project	400,000	Not completed. €305,371 drawn down to date.
	Tipperary	Clonmel to Carrick-on-Suir Greenway (20km)	1,900,000	Not completed. €920,625 drawn down to date.
	Waterford	Kilmeaden to Bilberry Greenway (20km)	1,100,000	Completed and funding drawn down.
	Westmeath	Athlone to Mullingar Greenway (40km)#	4,000,000	Completed and funding drawn down.
	Westmeath	Coolnahay to the County Boundary (14.4)#	700,000	Completed and funding drawn down.

*Additional funding awarded to Kildare (104k); Limerick (155k); and Weathmeath (3.2m).