Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I previously asked for a debate with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, on the issue of greenways, blueways and walkways. I welcome recent Government funding for projects across the country and this builds on an investment provided over recent years for projects such as the great western railway in the Deputy Leader's county, the Mullingar to Athlone greenway and the Clifden to Recess greenway. The recent An Bord Pleanála decision on the greenway in south Kerry has been welcome and it was regarded as a test case by many local authorities that have projects that are stuck in limbo across the country. I welcome that decision and I regret that negotiation failed prior to taking the ultimate decision to go to a compulsory purchase order, which always has to be the last step.

Progress has been painfully slow on some projects in my county of Galway and my area, from Galway city to Moycullen to Oughterard. Funding was announced for this project in 2014 but a planning permission application has still not been lodged for the simple reason that the county council has not been able to gain access to all of the lands involved. The potential for this project is huge in the context of commuting and tourism. The potential is huge for people who work at National University of Ireland, Galway, NUIG, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, GMIT, or University Galway Hospital, for example, to be able to cycle to work and, similarly, for students attending NUIG and GMIT to be able to attend lectures by cycling in. There is also a tourism potential for the greenway as the gateway to Connemara. I ask for a debate on this to explore what the Department intends to do to ensure that county councils can access land to complete environmental reports and to lodge planning applications to allow these projects to be delivered.