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

I accept what Deputy O'Rourke says. I do not have detailed information about the particular project. We have something like 1,000 projects on the go at any time. They are not all of that scale, which is a significant project with a €6 million budget. I accept the concern and frustration the Deputy has reflected if there has been a significant overrun in terms of time and budget. I do not have the details on that here.

The overall impact of what we have done on the active travel programme is transformative. It has taken a number of years to scale up the capability of many local authorities to spend. In the first two or three years of this Government, while the funding was increased, a lot of it was being put into resources within councils like building up design teams, active management teams and ready-to-go project designs. There were often also significant difficulties getting projects through our planning system. That did not apply to all projects as some were section 38 projects and so on, but others required planning permission. It has taken some time to scale up the ability of local authorities to deliver on the targets we are setting in terms of kilometres of segregated cycling facilities. That is really starting to change this year. It is now increasingly focusing on delivery. As part of that we need to learn lessons. If there have been difficulties in Ashbourne in terms of not keeping to the originally planned timelines or budget - I do not have the details - we need to learn from that experience to make sure it is not repeated.

We also have an issue now because of all the good design work that has been done. We are starting to have a significant number of projects ready to go to construction. While the active travel budget of €350 million is significant, it is a real constraint and we will have to prioritise some projects over others. I will say one thing, and this will be for the next Government, in which I obviously will not be involved. At various meetings we have been pushing the initiative that we should prioritise those councils that are willing to make some of the investment choices, and particularly the difficult decisions. I do not think this can all be forced from the top down. It has to come from the bottom up from councils looking to do it themselves. Those councils really willing to spend money with the most impact should be the ones to which we direct funding. Those who are not, it is their decision if they are not really going for this, and we have to measure council performance in that regard. That is fine. It is their call, and the money will go where it is most wanted and most needed. That may also help where councils are seen to be quick and effective in spending the money. They should be the ones we make sure get access to finance in the coming five years. That will help to be one of the best checks to make sure we spend the money wisely, well and quickly.