Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am very grateful to the Minister for his response. I am very encouraged by what he has said about potentially looking at this again in the future. Regarding what he said about the Sutton to Sandycove, S2S, route, I must disagree with him, although I agree with him on the frustration caused by that small laneway next to the platform at the DART station in Blackrock . It is not the pinch point for the S2S route because it is outside the DART line; it is a coastal route. It is uninterrupted and it could be built in very short order, particularly as part of the reconstruction of the DART seawall. That wall has been in place since the 19th century. It is beginning to disintegrate and it will have to be ungraded as a flood defence in any event. There is a real opportunity to create a proper coastal segregated cycle route there. It is not about bringing it inland and on-road. It is about creating that separate segregated space.

I am encouraged by what the Minister said about the Luas line. If it comes to pass or does not come to pass that the metro will use the green line, I am very encouraged by what the Minister has said about reconsidering the provision of cycle facilities there.