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

I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to address this issue. I very much welcome the decision of An Bord Pleanála to grant permission for the south Kerry greenway as, I am sure, does the Deputy, who worked very hard on this issue. It has been a long time coming as funding was first allocated to this project back in 2014. One only has to have seen some of the footage that was included in news reports over the weekend following the decision to acknowledge just how iconic this greenway will be when built. Most greenways are lucky to have one iconic feature whereas the south Kerry greenway will have a number of them, including the mountain pass with views over Dingle Bay, the Gleesk viaduct, the Drung Hill tunnels and the Cahersiveen railway bridge, all of which will contribute to what will be one of the finest greenways in Europe.

Of course, there are some elements of the board's decision that will need to be examined in further detail. I understand that Kerry County Council is looking at the implications of these conditions, particularly the non-approval of the section from Cahersiveen to Reenard Point. I expect to see some options submitted in the new year as to how that missing link may be handled. It may be the case that it makes more sense to bring the route through the town of Cahersiveen and to provide an on-road highly segregated route that would bring users to the heart of the town before going towards Reenard Point and onwards to Valentia.

I am sure the Deputy will have seen our recent press release on funding for greenway projects in 2021. Some €1.4 million is remaining from the original allocation of €3.9 million from 2014 and this is available for Kerry County Council immediately to spend on this project next year. Kerry County Council will need to evaluate the impact of the changes to the project arising from An Bord Pleanála's decision and submit an updated and revised business case that includes costs and which complies with the public spending code to my Department. We will then examine it and decide what funding can be provided over the coming years.

I am sure the Deputy will have appreciated the additional €4 million in funding that I was able to allocate to two other projects in Kerry, the Listowel to the Limerick boundary and Tralee to Fenit sections of the great southern greenway. I understand that Kerry County Council will be bringing the Tralee to Listowel section to planning in 2021 and I would expect to see an application from it for construction funding for this section next year or the year after. I also hope that Limerick County Council will bring forward planning for its sections of the route over the coming years and that we will eventually have the entire great southern greenway constructed between Limerick and Fenit.

As part of the programme for Government, we achieved a commitment to spend €360 million per annum on cycling and walking infrastructure across government. The south Kerry greenway will form part of that expenditure over the coming years, along with a large number of other greenways that are under construction or in planning at present. I was delighted earlier this year to allocate funding of €4.5 million to 26 different projects around the country that will provide a pipeline of projects to be considered for funding. As we have seen with the south Kerry greenway, it can take considerable time for projects to secure planning permission and that is why we are pre-funding feasibility, planning and environmental studies for a large number of projects so that they are shovel-ready when they are funded for construction.

I look forward to cycling the south Kerry greenway in the near future. I took a break in Valentia this summer and the Deputy is right; it is the most spectacular location. I will never forget going on a cycling holiday in the same area as a young child. We headed off from Valentia along that dramatic cliff road and down into Ballinskelligs on the other side. I will never forget it and anyone who has cycled it or walked it would feel the same. Continuing on after getting this route all the way from Limerick to Valentia or Reenard Point makes sense. It is part of the Ring of Kerry and of a much wider regional greenway. It will make a huge difference to towns like Cahersiveen and Glenbeigh and every other place on the route. I will very much support the Deputy in making this happen as quickly as possible.

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