Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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310. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will grant-aid community groups that wish to construct a spur off the new cycle way from Athlone to Mullingar in County Westmeath to encourage tourists using the track to explore different parts of the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5337/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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All funding available to my Department for the development of cycleways/greenways is fully committed up to the end of 2016.  However it is possible, given the success of the projects already delivered, that funding may become available from other sources over the coming years.

Westmeath County Council (WCC) were fortunate in securing substantial funding for two projects from the Government Stimulus Package for infrastructure development, €10m of which was earmarked for the development of greenways.  The fund to WCC was €4m for the Athlone to Mullingar Greenway and €700,000 for a greenway from Coolnahay to the Westmeath County Boundary.  WCC also completed the Mullingar to Meath Co Boundary greenway in 2013 using €629,000 received from my Department under the National Cycle Network Funding Programme 2012-2013.

The Community Group may wish to investigate the possibilities which exist under the LEADER programme. This may be a source of funding for progressing the initial stages of this project.

Finally, I  always recommend that Community Groups work closely with the relevant local authority to continue to progress plans for suitable projects so that when funding does become available they are in a position to apply for that funding.