Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Indeed. I am confident that were the local authority to go ahead with the project and were it to be successful in its application for INTERREG funding, it would be able to find from within its own resources the final 15%, if that was what was required. In advance of that, however, it might be more sensible for me to state I support the application the council intends to make for INTERREG funding and as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I very much recognise the value of this project. The Senator has already touched on its cross-Border element and I also point to the degree to which I understand it would mirror the Shannon-Erne Waterway for some parts of it at least. The local authority is doing good work at present in preparing an application and for the time being, it would be wise for everyone to concentrate their efforts on how to best support that application and to cross all those bridges in the future as to how other funding could be found, were that need to materialise.

I thank the Senator for raising this matter and agree wholeheartedly it is the kind of project that would make a great difference to allow more people to experience the beauty of County Leitrim.