Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I agree that the Boyne greenway and Boyne Navigation restoration will be a flagship tourism scheme of regional, national and international significance that will provide access to the wealth and diversity of ecological, cultural, industrial and historical heritage within the Boyne Valley. As well as promotion of and facilitating tourism recreation the greenway will offer an attractive alternative transport choice for commuters through its links with the large towns of Drogheda and Navan and will greatly benefit County Meath's residents and visitors alike. The design aims to integrate a pedestrian and cycle route within sensitive, natural and built heritage sites while achieving a balance between conservation and public uses such as leisure, recreation and tourism.

I believe over the past number of years Meath County Council has been developing a plan to deliver it, which aims to provide a high-quality walking and cycling route and to restore the Boyne Navigation, including the canal sections and associated locks, which are a key feature of the industrial heritage within the Boyne Valley.

With regard to what happens next, now that the public consultation period has ended, the design team will collect and analyse all of the submissions received. These will be summarised and the reported responses to the various themes raised will be issued, and where necessary and proper to do so the emergent preferred route may be modified to reflect the feedback that is received. Once the preferred route is finalised preliminary design will commence where further detail on the exact layout of the greenway will be developed. It is my understanding that additional liaison with land owners will be held throughout this stage of the project and further general public consultations will be held prior to submission of the final planning documents to An Bord Pleanála.

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