Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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701. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress made to date on the development of the two Irish sections of the EuroVelo project, the Atlantic Coast Route and the Capitals' Route which aims to develop cycle tourism across the EU. [3041/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I understand that the EuroVelo routes were identified in 2005 on a European wide basis by the Eurovelo organisation. It outlined long distance routes that had been flagged at a national level that could contribute significantly to cycling tourism in Europe, but not necessarily with any commitment to deliver the routes.

With regard to the Atlantic Coast Route concept, whilst there is no specific plan to deliver the route in its entirety, recent funding for the on-road Donegal to Newtowncunningham route aligns with the Atlantic Coast Route concept, and indeed the very successful Great Western Greenway also has a very significant coastal route element. With regard to Dublin-Galway, again recent funding initiatives have delivered route sections that align with this concept, in particular significant route development along the canal in and around Mullingar. The NRA is now undertaking detailed route alignment and design work for the route with a view to delivering the  route as a cycling corridor in sections as funding allows.