Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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40. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of his plans to connect Limerick city to the Great Southern Greenway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3124/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As the Deputy may be aware, there are two principal programmes supporting the development of greenways.

Firstly there is the programme administered directly by my Department under the Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways. This programme typically supports greenways focussed on leisure and tourism albeit my intention is to ensure the better integration of such greenways with their local communities and active travel needs.

Under this programme I awarded funding of €150,000 to progress pre-construction planning and design into the extension of the Great Southern Greenway from Rathkeale to Patrickswell in July of 2020. I would expect an application for construction funding to follow should a feasible route be identified. At that stage it would be expected that an examination of route options between Patrickswell and Limerick City would be carried out in conjunction with the National Transport Authority (NTA). Separately, under the same greenways programme, I was pleased to allocate funding of €2.5 million to support improvement works on the existing Great Southern Greenway from Rathkeale to the county boundary where it will link up with the section under construction near Listowel.

Secondly there is the programme of urban, commuter focussed greenways in each of the five cities which is administered by the NTA. Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter I have referred your question to the NTA for a more detailed reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.