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Greenways Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 June 2018

Tuesday, 19 June 2018

Ceisteanna (513)

Robert Troy

Ceist:

513. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will publish the greenway strategy; and when the greenway will be completed directly from Dublin to Galway. [26861/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Greenways Strategy will provide a framework for the development of Ireland's greenways and will determine the type of project to be funded by my Department over the coming decade. This is a long term Strategy with the aim of increasing the number, length and regional spread of greenways across the country. It will set out guidance to project promoters on matters including strategic nature, length, design standards, accommodation works and early consultation with communities and land owners along proposed routes.

It is important that the National Strategy for the future development of Greenways would be subject to indepth consultation with relevant stakeholders. That consultation has now been completed and my officials are currently finalising the Strategy. I expect to publish the Strategy in the coming month. This will be followed by call for applications later in 2018 with a view to awarding funding to a number of projects for drawdown between 2019 to 2021. In this regard, I was pleased to secure additional funding for greenways last year bringing the total available for the period 2018 to 2021 to €55.9m.

With regard to the Galway to Dublin Greenway it is not possible at this stage to estimate how long it will take for it to be constructed. The development of the Greenway west of the Shannon was paused in 2015 to allow all stakeholders to reflect on the issues raised locally and to consider how best to progress this project, especially in terms of route selection and landowner consultations.

With this in mind I recently requested TII and the Steering Group managing this project to look again at the route options report to see if a route can be identified that works locally and has the support of key landowners. While the work of TII and the Steering Group is ongoing I am not in a position to comment on either the timeframe or budget required to construct the greenway between Athlone and Galway.

Since 2015 progress has been made on other greenway projects, namely the sections of the Galway to Dublin Greenway in Kildare and Meath, and the opening of the Waterford Greenway. The high standard of accommodation works provided to adjacent landowners on the Waterford Greenway have demonstrated how measures can be put in place to significantly mitigate potential impacts on operational farm holders. The Waterford Greenway has also had a very significant economic impact on towns such as Kilmacthomas. I believe the same impact can be replicated in Roscommon and Galway and development of the Dublin-Greenway remains an objective for the Government.

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