Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everyone back and hope it will be a better 2021, with our vaccine roll-out. However, our battle with Covid-19 continues and we need to stay vigilant and protect each other.

I will raise two points. First, as education spokesperson, I acknowledge the concern about the reopening of special schools and special classes. I am aware of the stress on parents of children with complex needs as well as the high levels of anxiety and fear among teaching staff. We need to work towards a solution for a phased reopening allowing in-school teaching, particularly for the needs of these children.

Second, I am happy to say the stage 2 public consultation is open for Transport Infrastructure Ireland's wonderful piece of infrastructure, the Dublin to Galway cycleway. The last section from Galway to Athlone is opening up and they released five route corridors yesterday. I am happy to say that the Ballinasloe area will potentially feature in three of those five routes. The final decision will be made in the next number of months. Currently the stage 2 public consultation is open and people have the opportunity to have their say.

The cycleways will transform our regions. We know the stories from Dungarvan and Achill. Just imagine safe places to walk for families and places to cycle in rural areas where we do not even have footpaths. We now know the value of having these amenities in our region and it will develop dynamic hubs for ecotourism once our economy opens up again. I thank the over 200 people and families that put submissions through in my area during the stage 1 consultation. It is a fantastic opportunity to use those publicly owned lands, for example, the Grand Canal, which is one of those old pieces of heritage that we have and which went from Dublin to Ballinasloe. From there, the Guinness barges would have gone all the way into the west. The cycleway could potentially come along the Grand Canal into Ballinasloe and from there to Ahascragh, Ballyforan, along the banks of the River Suck and into, say, Mountbellew.

The stage 2 public consultation will open next Monday, 25 January. There is an interactive map and questionnaires. People can log on to galwaytoathlonecycleway.comto find out more. Brochures and questionnaires will be posted to residents, landowners and businesses and the deadline is Friday, 26 February. Working in consensus with landowners, we can be part of a significant project that will transform our region.