Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I too welcome the Minister. This is the first time that two people with the name Paschal have been involved in a debate on different sides of the motion. That is a little bit of history.

In November 2013, Leitrim County Council submitted an application to the National Cycle Network, NCN local authority funding scheme 2014-16. I understand from Leitrim County Council that five projects were funded nationally but the Leitrim project was number six on the list and just lost out. The matter is a constant source of debate and dialogue in that part of the county. That application was a single application for the development of the greenway from Drumduff, County Leitrim on the Leitrim-Sligo border to Blacklion in County Cavan, a distance of 40 km, the application contained two clear options for funding one of two distinct phases. The first option was for a bound surface from Drumduff to Manorhamilton, a distance of 18 km at a then cost of €2.3 million and-or for a bound surface from Mahorhamilton to Blacklion, a distance of 22 km at a cost of €4.3 million. Leitrim County Council considered that its application had the potential to deliver considerable social, recreational and economic benefit and looked forward to the feedback from the Department on it. As I have said, the application was unsuccessful on that occasion.

I have raised this issue because the Government has indicated in recent weeks that it will provide extra funding for the development of greenways. The Taoiseach, as the Minister knows, was present in Moate for the official opening of a greenway in that part of the world. It was interesting that the chairman of Westmeath County Council, Councillor Paul Daly, referred to that piece of railway track being used in the movie "The First Great Train Robbery" starring Sean Connery. I remember seeing that film which I would recommend to Members. This is now part of a greenway that will stretch from Dublin to Galway.

The Minister will be very aware of how important tourism is to County Leitrim, which has a very low industrial manufacturing base, in particular the area around Manorhamilton to the Sligo border. The development of tourism attractions is crucial to the future economic wellbeing of the area. This can only happen with State aid, as there are insufficient resources within the county council and the local communities to develop the greenway - much and all as they have the will and the desire to develop it. Everybody is in favour of developing this disused railway track dating from the middle of the last century. This is not a new issue and I am sure it has been on the Minister's desk, from before the time he took over. I hope he will have some positive news for me.