John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I would like to ask the Minister of State with responsibility for sustainable transport, Deputy Alan Kelly, to consider establishing a small group to oversee the delivery of a national network of off-road cycle trails in order to assist with the timely delivery of the national cycling strategy and to create a network of trails to attract some of the cycling tourism business which is so successful elsewhere but which does not exist in Ireland.

Ireland does not have a long cycle trail as is the norm in the rest of Europe. Our existing short greenways merely provide day trips or weekend break products as well as a local amenity. They cannot form the basis of a week long cycling holiday. We need a number of long trails which will attract the fastest growing leisure pursuit in Europe. We own significant linear corridors, such as canal and river navigation towpaths, and disused railway lines. However, the creation of long trails on these assets on a county-by-county basis will result in unacceptable delays, a lack of standardisation of the product and an inability to leverage these assets further by co-locating services, such as broadband cabling, on these corridors. A small focus body would fast-track this urgent infrastructure and would achieve economies of scale which would provide best value for the taxpayer.

This is a summary of what can only be described as the debacle of cycling and long distance walking infrastructure in Ireland. Both sectors need to be examined together. Long trails in other countries are enjoyed by both walkers and cyclists for the benefit of local and national economies. Ireland has a particular problem in respect of developing off-road trails. We have access issues and an attitude which is rooted in landownership and small farm sizes. As a consequence, we have tended to create trails where we could rather than where they would be most effective. In countries like the UK, footpaths co-exist happily with farms, and walkers and cyclists respect the country code and cause no problems for landowners. We have some way to go before that level of understanding is achieved.

We, therefore, need to concentrate in the first instance on lands which are in public ownership and we need to utilise any such assets to create a basic network that would give us a place at the table of European leisure tourism. Currently, we have no such presence. In 2006, a Fáilte Ireland report showed that Ireland had almost no penetration in the cycling holiday sector and nothing has been done in the meantime to address that deficit. If we extrapolate Fáilte Ireland's figures in this regard, we are behind European norms by at least €300 million annually on the cycling side alone which is estimated to translate into approximately 5,000 jobs. The long distance walking business added to that equation would further enhance it. We have no idea of the greater potential that is there.

Our colleague, Deputy Arthur Spring, is very passionate about this issue also. He suggested that a subsidiary body of the National Roads Authority would be an option to deliver this project and to bring about the connectivity needed to bring all the local authorities together. As the Minister of State, Deputy Kelly, knows, some local authorities might be passionate about this issue while others might be more passionate about protecting old railway lines. The EuroVelo project in Europe has received funding of €1 billion while a 150 km walking project in New Zealand creates one job per kilometre.

I have a report produced by Mr. John Mulligan who has an in-depth knowledge of all the various cycle routes around the country, including Dublin to Stamullen, Dublin to Strokestown via Mullingar and Longford, Dublin to Shannon Harbour, a Dublin-Limerick-Tralee route and the Boyne Valley. The list is endless. The Minister of State is probably aware of this report but I will give it to him anyway. As I said, Mr. Mulligan has an in-depth knowledge of this issue and has done some excellent work.

The Minister of State will see that what we are doing currently is not working, so we must come up with a different strategy. The suggestion I made about a separate body to head this up is the way to go and I would appreciate the Minister of State's help in delivering it.