Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I concur with the comments by my colleague, Senator Crowe, on the childcare sector. I second his call for a debate on the matter. There are issues surrounding core funding. We know the importance of the childcare sector, which is of growing importance in society.

I have spoken previously and requested a debate on the many positives of greenways, blueways and plans for active travel across the country. Unfortunately, being up here, I missed the public consultation in recent days in Moycullen and Oughterard and this evening in the Clybaun Hotel in Galway on the Galway to Oughterard greenway, a project that was mooted as far back as 2013 or 2014. Despite valiant efforts to try to make progress over the years by direct consultation and engagement with landowners, unfortunately, they did not allow for the lodging of a planning application up to now. Those involved have gone back to the start, as it were, and have begun a process of engagement. Part of that is because of the recent agreements to which the farm organisations have signed up. When the former Minister, Shane Ross, was Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Department initiated a process whereby farm organisations signed up to a protocol on engagement and compensation regarding greenways. That has been a game-changer in terms of allowing this process to go forward. More important than that is the result of the south Kerry greenway decision, which was seen as a template for other local authorities.

I have raised this issue on numerous occasions. Those two pieces: the result of the court case in south Kerry and the landowners' agreement, have allowed for this process to move forward. There is a commitment across the political spectrum. It is important that landowners and homeowners are treated with respect and that we get the best possible route that interferes in the least possible fashion with landowners, but at the same time delivers what would be a world-class piece of infrastructure, which will not only be available for tourists and for locals alike, but would be hugely beneficial in areas like Moycullen, Rosscahill and even as far as Oughterard, in terms of commuting into Galway city. A lot of people in my area in Moycullen and further on who work in NUIG or the hospital, as well as students who are attending NUIG or the new Atlantic Technological University, would commute this way. This would be a game-changer in terms of commuting, tourism and local amenity and leisure. There is a consultation today in the Clybaun Hotel from noon to 9 p.m. Comments and views are to be sent back by 15 July. The website for providing information is galwaytooughterardgreenway@aecom.com. There are a lot of positives happening and it is worthy of a positive debate on such issues across the country. The Leader might raise the matter with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan.