Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the just transition retrofitting initiative. A number of local authorities in the midlands and Galway are putting forward funds to retrofit houses in areas affected particularly by job losses in respect of Bord na Móna and ESB. I am looking forward to the 60 homes in Ballinasloe that are going to be retrofitted and how this will impact on the cost of heating. There is a lot of fuel poverty in that area. It will be great to see those costs reduced.

I welcome the investment yesterday of €4.5 million into greenways, especially the Shannon monastic greenway which is going out to Shannonbridge and the Loughrea greenway from Tarmonbarry to Athlone. It is great to see. In particular I welcome the Transport Infrastructure Ireland focus on the route from Dublin to Galway and perhaps further on. It is a priority and a focus for this Government to achieve. The office for the Athlone to Galway section, which is the next priority, is located in Ballinasloe. Public consultation for the whole section from Athlone to Galway city will be open from 10 August. I encourage people with any interest in how important it is to have greenways in our area to consider submitting a consultation. Two venues I would like to highlight in particular are the Shamrock Lodge in Athlone from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on 10 August and the Shearwater on 11 August from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. This will be a public display, so engineers based in Ballinasloe will be putting it out in many locations. It can be seen in local authority offices, particularly in Ballinasloe, from 17 to 21 August. I encourage people to make submissions. It is important to have greenways but to do it by consensus and to have something that is of benefit to all.