Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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617. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of all funding that has been allocated to an initiative (details supplied) in 2016 and 2017; and the competition by which they were allocated. [26034/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Details of Greenway projects which received funding from my Department in 2016 and 2017 are set out in the table.

The last competitive funding call under the National Cycle Network funding programme was in 2014 and covered the period 2014-2016. Three projects - in Waterford, Kerry and Galway - were awarded funding under this process. In mid-2016, it became clear that the projects in Galway and Kerry would not be in a position to fully draw down the grants awarded due to the challenges experienced by the local authorities in delivering these projects so a decision was taken to reallocate this funding to other 'shovel ready' projects that would be in a position to draw down the funding in 2016. A similar situation has arisen in 2017. The projects to which funding has been awarded in this context include sections of the Galway to Dublin Greenway in Kildare, Meath and Westmeath as well as a project in Longford and the Waterford Greenway.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government commits to providing additional capital funding for various tourism projects, including greenways and I will be seeking to deliver this additional funding in the context of the mid-term review of the Capital Plan which is under way. It is intended that any new funding calls for greenways would only occur after the present mid-term review of the Capital Plan is complete and there is clarity on the funding that will be available for greenways for the remaining years of the capital plan.

In anticipation of this, and taking account of the experience in the development of greenways to date, my Department is developing a new Strategy to underpin the future development and funding of greenways. I recently launched a public consultation process to inform the development of the new Strategy. A public consultation paper is available on my Department's website and all interested parties are invited to make submissions by 14 July, 2017.