Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

That is a fair question. This is also an issue in Dublin. In south-side Dublin, people will know a difficult decision was made about a project in Deansgrange that was substantially about creating a safe route to the many schools in the area. It ran into difficulty at the local council. It is a reality that if one council is not seeking to advance these kinds of projects, for whatever reason, the money will go elsewhere. I could give examples on the positive side. It has been interesting to look at what was initially a very difficult decision during the Covid period to install a coastal cycle route at Salthill, Galway. This will be of great benefit to commuters, schoolchildren and those who use it for leisure, including tourists. While it originally ran into difficulties, the council ultimately agreed, by an overwhelming majority, with perhaps one or two exceptions, to take what was a hard decision. To my mind, it was the right decision. We cannot force it. It must not be a matter of a central government fiat demanding that infrastructure be put in place. In truth, bearing in mind the detailed design and bringing the local business community on board, local councillors have a key role. There will be an increasing sense that if a council does not see this as the future, it cannot be forced. It will see money going to councils that do see it as the future. The ones getting projects through the planning process the quickest and that can deliver the greatest return for the budget should be rewarded for that. I have no qualms about giving responsibility to local councils and rewarding those that show they can deliver. Dún Laoghaire is a very good example. What has happened in Deansgrange has run against the grain of what it is done.