Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Ross. I am delighted that he has come here for this matter which calls for the inclusion of the Shannon greenway in the greenway strategy is part of the Project Ireland 2040: National Planning Framework. I cannot claim any credit for this proposal. I would like to welcome Mr. Eoin O'Hagan from Scariff in County Clare who is in the Public Gallery and who is the brainchild behind this proposal. He pitched this proposal to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and several other Ministers in March. The proposed greenway would run from the Shannon Pot in County Cavan to the last light at Loop Head in County Clare and Kerry Head in County Kerry. It would be the longest greenway, coming through the centre of Ireland. For thousands of years, the river has been at the heart of Ireland and this was acknowledged by Mr. W. T. Cosgrave who was in the first Government when Ardnacrusha was development and Ireland's first hydro-electric generating station was constructed, bringing the fledgling State into the industrial age.

Greenways attract families, tourists and groups, including cycling groups. I have been on the Déise greenway and the Achill greenway and they have been a great success in terms of attracting tourists and helping in the community with job creation. I was on the Déise greenway on the bank holiday weekend and I saw the number of shops, coffee shops, restaurants and shops supplying the bicycles that have opened up. This also ties into our Healthy Ireland programme in terms of encouraging people to exercise and get fit. A Shannon greenway would encourage a slower tourism and its length would encourage people to explore the heart of Ireland. These are the thoughts behind this proposed greenway. The walker or cyclist will spend time along the route and stay in different places which would lead to hotels, bed and breakfasts or hostels popping up along the route. Such greenways have been a great success all around Europe.

Fáilte Ireland has just launched Ireland's Hidden Heartland's brand and the proposed Shannon greenway could become a major key tourist attraction and could become a must-visit green destination that would anchor the Hidden Heartland's brand. We have been very successful with the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East and believe that this initiative would be like a breath of fresh air in terms of the way in which many of these routes attract millions of tourists and visitors.

I mentioned physical health but these routes are also good for our mental health and well-being. It would be a win-win for Ireland and for the different counties along this route.

There are also many regional airports along the route, including Knock Airport, Kerry Airport and Shannon Airports, all of which come within the remit of the Minister's Department. There is a proposed link from the University of Limerick to the Clare side and this is being developed. The greenway comes along by Killaloe and with the northern distributor road, there could be a link alongside that. There is huge scope to expand this greenway and for it to be the beating heart of Ireland. It is 360 km in length and is worthy of consideration. It will not be built overnight, but there is a very strong tourism possibility for it. It ticks all of the boxes in terms of job creation, tourism and stability in terms of the towns and villages along the route. It would be help to put the beating heart back into that part of Ireland where some of the towns and villages may feel a little left behind. It also ticks the box in respect of the Government's strategy of creating jobs outside of the greater Dublin area.