Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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274. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way in which he plans to fund local authorities on an ongoing basis to ensure that greenways are properly maintained once they are opened to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16607/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I recently announced €63.5m in funding for Greenways in 2021 which includes an increase from 60% to 100% funding for the construction of nine greenways co-funded under the first call under the Strategy for the Future Development of Regional and National Greenways in 2019 . This was in recognition of the co-funding challenge for Local Authorities as a result of COVID Public Health Emergency measures.

Local Authorities are currently required to factor in the cost of maintaining greenways from their own resources when putting forward projects for construction funding. However, I intend to examine this issue ahead of the next round of funding for Greenways, which will comprise of a call for applications for both pre-construction funding and construction funding. I expect to issue that call later this year.