Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)

I hope to be in a position to extend cycling facilities across the country in the future. It is an objective of the Government, as stated in the programme for Government. It is my ambition to be able to deliver on various project but that is a matter for the future. We must assess the funding required.

The safety campaign was a good one. The campaign cost €53,000. It concentrated not just on cyclists but on other road users. The campaign was very informative. Many drivers sometimes forget about cyclists and do not factor them into their driving behaviour, particularly in urban areas where there are more cyclists on the road. The campaign was a worthy and necessary one. I take on board Deputy Ellis's point on the future of cycling. It is a priority in the Department. I hope we will be in a position to deliver on the commitments in that regard.

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