Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his very positive response. It is very encouraging to see the enthusiasm with which he approaches this project. If I had never been a Dáil Deputy, this is something about which I would still have personally been passionate. I remember talking about the potential for a cycleway on this old railway line in geography class when I was in secondary school. This was back in the 1990s when cycling tourism was not considered to be a money-spinner. It inspired scenes in the children's novels I wrote a number of years ago. I really want to see it happen. There are beautiful books written about the old railway line by Patrick O'Sullivan. We owe it to the great engineers and workers who have gone before us and who sweated blood and tears to build this fantastic infrastructure back in the 1880s and 1890s to make the most of it for future generations. That is why what is happening now is so positive and encouraging and, as I have said, could be symbolic of a renaissance for this part of the county.

As the Minister will know, however, money talks. We require the funding to get his project going and to make it happen now. I see this as part of an overall integrated network which we can complete. The parts of the jigsaw are now starting to come together. I remember writing a little piece called "Why Greenways should be called Goldways" back in 2013 after cycling the Westport-Achill line. The point I made in this piece was that there are many opportunities in Kerry to develop a linked-up network. At the time, people told me that I was crazy and that the route between Tralee and Fenit would never happen but it is now under construction. The Limerick border to Listowel route is also under construction. The linking of Tralee to Listowel is now one step closer after the funding that was received last week. There is no reason the south Kerry greenway from Glenbeigh to Reenard could not extend further in the future and link up with those other routes.

I call on the Minister to do everything he can to find the funding. I also commend all the supporters of this project over many years, particularly the people in Kerry County Council who never lost faith and many others in the south Kerry area who helped us to get to this point. We are not over the line yet and there may be a long way to go but last Thursday's decision was certainly very positive. The funding is the next step.

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