Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There are lots of new initiatives underway including, for example, greenways and the use of the canals. In the case of the Grand Canal there is a very good quality cycle way up to the Dublin boundary but it needs to be extended to Naas, for example and I hope that is included in the list to which the Minister referred. Funding is required but the amount is relatively small for what will be delivered. The cycle ways also need to be connected up.

When I was in Boston a number of years ago, roads were closed to cars at weekends and opened up to anything else on wheels, whether roller blades, buggies, wheelchairs or bikes and lots of people went out and used them. Providing cycle facilities and taking a proactive approach to encouraging people to cycle both for leisure and work purposes can help to change habits. In countries like the Netherlands, the longer an uninterrupted cycle route is, the more people are inclined to use it. It is about connecting routes and the NTA providing funding, in addition to drawing up the plan. Will the money be forthcoming?

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