James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

507. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the interaction or meetings his Department has undertaken in both 2016 and to date in 2017 with either the Department of Health or the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment to promote cycling here; the number of these meetings; the actions agreed thereafter; the progress being made to promote cycling in accordance with the cycling policy framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48821/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to advise the Deputy that officials from my Department have had a number of interactions with the Healthy Ireland Division of the Department of Health throughout 2016 and 2017 to discuss issues supportive of cycling.  These discussions led to Healthy Ireland providing funding for Cycle Right, the new National Cycle Training Standard. The Department has also been in discussions with Sport Ireland who are developing, in conjunction with Healthy Ireland, a “Get Ireland Cycling” programme, as set out in the National Physical Activity Plan. My Department also contributed material on cycling to the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP)  and the National Communication (NC7) documents, which were coordinated through the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

In regard to cycling promotion, officials  of my Department and myself met with cycling advocates over the summer to discuss the potential for change in cycling promotion. I am delighted that this work led to a very significant increase in funding for cycling infrastructure in the recent Budget and will see a step-change in funding over the years to 2021. This will see a number of very important segregated cycle lanes being provided in the Greater Dublin Area and our Regional Cities.