Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. I thank the Minister, Deputy Ring, for taking time from his schedule to be here. Rossmore Forest Park is a national park located on the outskirts of Monaghan town. It is a huge, fantastic facility. It stretches across more than 320 ha of forest.It has been used primarily for recreation purposes as there are many beautiful trails and walks through it. There is also a lake there. Recently a new play park and a giant trail were developed, which have proven very attractive to locals and visitors alike. This park has serious potential to become not just an attraction in County Monaghan but a regional attraction but it needs to be developed further. With that in mind, Cycling Ireland and Emyvale Cycling Club have approached Monaghan County Council with a view to providing cycling infrastructure within the confines of Rossmore Forest Park. The project they have in mind is the creation of a 2.5 km family cycle route which is completely off-road. Cycling on the open road is not a very attractive option for beginners or children. The proposal is for a completely off-road track that would be very safe.

As the Minister knows, cycling has become very popular in this country. Many more people are cycling now, which is great to see, particularly given the health benefits of physical exercise. The problem in Monaghan is that we do not have proper facilities for cyclists to learn how to cycle safely. Therefore, an application has been forwarded by Monaghan County Council to the Minister's Department for funding under the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme. This project in Monaghan town is very much needed and I hope the Minister will look upon the application in a favourable light. Monaghan has many fine attractions apart from the forest park to which I have referred. We also have the Castle Leslie estate in Glaslough, Lough Muckno in Castleblayney and the Patrick Kavanagh Centre in Inniskeen. Most people would agree that Monaghan, like other parts of the country, needs to see an economic benefit from tourism which it has not enjoyed to date. We have many fine attractions and we need to build on them. This project involving Cycling Ireland and Emyvale Cycling Club represents a first step in the development of a cycling attraction within Rossmore Forest Park. Cycling Ireland has ambitions to develop further cycling attractions within the park. I urge the Minister to provide funding for the first step in the development of a facility that would be both a local and regional attraction, something that is very much needed in County Monaghan.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this issue today. I can confirm that my Department has received an application for funding from Monaghan County Council to support a 2.5 km off-road family cycling route at Rossmore Forest Park under this year's outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme. I understand that the proposed project is part of a larger series of works set out in the Rossmore Forest Park master plan, which was developed by Monaghan County Council in partnership with Coillte. This is an ambitious plan with a number of different elements designed to realise the significant potential of the park while managing it in a sustainable way. It is expected that the plan will be implemented by Monaghan County Council on a phased basis. The council has already been successful in securing funding from my Department under the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme. Rossmore Forest Park received funding of over €420,000 under the scheme in 2018. This funding has not yet been drawn down, although it is expected that works will be completed early next year. This is in addition to funding of €115,000 provided to the park in 2016. The type of work being funded includes the upgrading of paths and signage and new footbridges, as well as improved access and recreation points. I understand that funding was also provided through the PEACE programme for the development of an adventure play park.

The commencement of the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme in 2016 marked the first time in recent years that a dedicated funding stream was available for bodies involved in the provision of this type of infrastructure. Demand for funding remains high and there is enormous potential to further develop the outdoor recreation sector. I intend to continue to support projects of this type through measures such as the rural regeneration development fund, LEADER and the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme.This year, my Department sought applications under the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme for three measures ranging from small-sized projects costing less than €20,000 to large projects requiring investment of up to €500,000. My Department has received 284 applications under the three measures this year, representing a total request for funding of approximately €24 million. My officials must assess each application carefully on its own merits to ensure that good value for public moneys is received from any funding committed under the scheme. Last month, I announced funding of €1.8 million for 109 projects under measure 1 of the 2019 scheme. This includes five projects in County Monaghan. The assessment of the applications received under the larger measures is still ongoing. These include the new application received in respect of Rossmore Forest Park. I hope to make announcements in this regard in the near future.

Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as sin. I thank the Minister very much for his response. Like myself, he comes from rural Ireland and knows the importance of our responsibility to develop the potential of rural Ireland to its maximum. This is an opportunity for the Government to put Monaghan on the map as a tourist attraction. I sincerely hope that when the Minister goes to write that cheque, as he intends to do in the new year, he will have Monaghan County Council in mind. I hope that he will see his way to providing much-needed funding for this facility.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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For the Senator's information, from 2017 to 2019, my Department allocated €21,235,551 to Monaghan. The outdoor recreation scheme is a fantastic scheme, which works well. I know the particular part of the county about which the Senator is talking. I am under a lot of political pressure from the Minister based in the constituency, as the Senator will understand. She puts a lot of pressure on me because she believes there is no other county than Monaghan. I like the outdoor recreation scheme and I want it to continue but I want to send a message to every single county council, including Monaghan County Council. I appreciate the Senator's very respectful approach today. The local authorities have had this money since last year and should have it spent. I have written to every local authority and I am starting to withdraw funding from them. They will be getting letters. Any authority that has not spent money it received in 2017 will have it withdrawn. There is no point in putting €110 million into the rural regeneration scheme, €25 million into the LEADER scheme, €68 million into the town and village scheme to carry out 830 projects, €43 million into the outdoor recreation scheme, and €32 million into the CLÁR programme if the authorities are not going to spend the money. I know the funding was not there for a number of years but it has been provided continuously in recent years. I want to send a message to Monaghan County Council and every other local authority. I will be looking at projects on which money has not been spent. I cannot allocate funding to councils that have not spent the money they have received.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. Senator Gallagher has heard that message.

Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
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Loud and clear. I will bring that message home.