Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2019
521. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the breakdown of the €114 million which was asserted (details supplied) will be spent on cycling infrastructure in 2020. [42949/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware that there has been some confusion in relation to the allocations provided under Budget 2020 toward active travel and greenways development.
Budget 2020 has allocated €91million to the two principal active travel funding programmes which are administered through the National Transport Authority. This is a significant increase on Budget 2019's allocation of €48million toward the same two programmes.
Separately there is also a €23million allocation for the Greenways programme, which supports leisure-orientated walking and cycling. This is a significant increase on Budget 2019's allocation of €13million toward the same programme.
Together these three funding programmes total €114million next year, and that includes the €9million additional allocation, split evenly across active travel and greenways programmes, which arises from the introduction of carbon tax measures.
The Deputy will be aware that allocations made available under these funding programmes do not capture all public expenditure dedicated to active travel (or leisure-orientated walking and cycling); it also benefits from funding provided under BusConnects, the roads programmes, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and from the tax incentive available under the Bike-to-Work Scheme.
I have no doubt the Deputy welcomes these increased allocations and looks forward, as I do, to the delivery of a number of important projects across the country in 2020.
