Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the issue of active travel funding. I ask for a debate in the House on funding for local authorities through the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. Last year, I received a letter from members of Mayo County Council. Indeed, I was also contacted by members of other local authorities. They are looking for further funding for active travel and they feel they are not getting what they require. The Mayo allocation for 2023 is €4.5 million, and in 2022, it was €5 million, amounting to a reduction in funding of 10% this year over last year. I think it is the same in some other local authorities. The local authority applies to the Minister's Department for the funding. I think there is a duplication of work in relation to it. If the Minister makes an allocation, the council should spend it where it sees fit to spend it. Perhaps the local authorities propose schemes and the Minister's Department selects the schemes that will be funded. If that is the case, there is a duplication of work. The Minister should give X amount of money to a local authority and let the local authority members, along with the executive, decide on the works to be done and carried out in the most efficient manner. I suppose this is the way to go. Active travel is going to become a bigger issue in smaller towns, bigger towns and villages. We will have to see local buses operating within towns such as Castlebar, Westport and Ballina. There are quite a number of similar towns throughout the country. They will have to have a bus service. If they have a bus service, there will need to be bus stops within the town. As a result, the streets will become smaller, so there will be a need for more active travel funding. I would welcome a debate on this issue. It is a debate into which this House could have a big input. Our electorate, the local authority members, are very active in this area. It is a debate that would be warmly welcomed by Members of the House.