Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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28. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the status of the active towns smarter travel scheme; if this scheme will be open to new applications; the funding programmes available for initiatives that would meet the criteria of the scheme, such as improvements to pedestrian facilities, including footpaths and bridges beneficial to varied groups in communities, including schoolchildren; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23466/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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​The Active Travel Towns Programme (ATT) is designed to achieve modal shift from the car to either walking and/or cycling and to secure greater public transport use through facilitating greater walking and cycling access to public transport. This objective is being achieved in a planned and co-ordinated way in towns around the country. My Department, in conjunction with the relevant local authorities, is responsible for  implementing the programme in small and medium sized towns outside Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area (GDA).  My Department provides grants to local authorities, under competitive process, to build the necessary infrastructure. €13m was allocated to this programme from an overall multi-annual smarter travel budget of €65 million to be distributed between 2012 - 2016. Funding under the ATT programme is being provided under two rounds. Round 1 of the programme was successfully completed at the end of 2013 and a new funding round was launched in 2014. 9 towns were awarded funding under this round following a competitive process. Two small towns were selected (Birr and Claremorris) and seven medium/large towns were selected (Ennis, Cavan, Sligo, Tralee, Wexford, Thurles and Clonmel) to develop walking and cycling infrastructure and softer measures to support behavioural change. This programme is currently underway and will be completed at the end of next year. There are no immediate plans to fund new towns while this programme is underway.   It is anticipated however that the evaluation of the Smarter Travel Programmes, including the Active Travel town programme when completed, will inform future policy in this area and provide direction to where future investment in smarter travel should be focused to yield the best impact on modal shift from car to either walking or cycling.