Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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212. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he has taken to encourage cycling initiatives in Cork city and county. [55346/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government committed that €360 million in cross-Government funding will be spent on walking and cycling per annum over the lifetime of the Government. This investment will help support the delivery of circa 1,000 kilometres of improved walking and cycling infrastructure by 2025 as well as additional investment in Greenways. 

This year we have seen a significant increase in funding, in line with the Government’s prioritisation of Active Travel and Greenways. Earlier this year I announced an allocation of €240 million for Active Travel projects in the Greater Dublin Area and Regional Cities including Cork. Cork City Council received an allocation of €29.6m and Cork County Council received an allocation of €15.78m under this funding programme.

To reflect the Government’s commitment to Active Travel and the increased funding allocations to walking and cycling, I communicated to the County and City Management Association (CCMA) in January 2021 that extra resources for local authorities and the National Roads Offices (NROs) would be funded by my Department to support and progress the delivery of Active Travel projects around the country. Up to 218 staff have been allocated to local authorities and an additional 30 staff to the NROs under this resourcing initiative. It is anticipated that Cork City Council will receive 11 additional staff and Cork County Council 6 additional staff over the course of the year as recruitment processes have begun and will continue.

In addition to the increased funding for walking and cycling infrastructure, a number of smaller-scale initiatives are being progressed by my Department to support and promote efforts to increase Active Travel. The Department of Transport funds the delivery of CycleRight training through Cycling Ireland, which delivers cycling training to school-children around the country. In partnership with the Department of Education we also launched the Safe Routes to Schools Programme (SRTS) earlier this year, which aims to accelerate the delivery of walking, scooting and cycling infrastructure on key access routes to schools. 170 schools were notified on 21 June that they have been selected for inclusion in the first round of the SRTS Programme to support walking and cycling infrastructure for primary and post-primary schools including 6 in Cork City Council area and 10 in Cork County Council area. €15 million will be allocated to the schools selected in Round 1 of this Programme.

Progress is also being made on the Midleton to Youghal Greenway to which nearly €20m has been allocated. This Greenway is expected to open in 2023, whilst pre-construction funding has also been allocated to examine potential Greenway options between Mallow and Dungarvan.

The step-change in funding committed in Budget 2021 and the introduction of numerous innovative measures to encourage Active Travel shows the Government's commitment to this area, and I look forward to the delivery of the numerous projects and programmes in Cork City and County and around the country. 

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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213. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason Action 106 in the new Climate Action Plan to deliver a network of safe, segregated cycling facilities has been delayed; the mitigation measures that are being put in place to ensure no further delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55402/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government is firmly committed to encouraging the use of walking, cycling and other active travel methods, and this has been signalled by almost tripling the budget for Active Travel in 2021. This year, and each successive year up to 2025 at least, we will see approximately €360 million per annum, 20% of our total transport budget, invested in Ireland’s walking and cycling infrastructure to provide a safe and connected network to those who wish to commute to work or school via healthy and sustainable transport modes.

Active travel, such as walking, cycling and scooting, will play a key role in the decarbonisation of the transport sector. Encouraging a modal shift away from traditionally fossil-fuelled vehicles and towards active modes of travel also has the additional benefit of improving mental and physical health, something which has come into sharp focus in the past year with COVID-19.

Action 106 the Deputy referred to had been delayed awaiting publication of the Climate Action Plan before the final 5-Year Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Delivery Plan is published to ensure coherence between both documents in terms of active travel actions and targets.

With the recent publication of the Climate Action Plan 2021 and the commitment therein to reallocate road space to pedestrians and cyclists I expect to receive a revised 5 Year Cycling and Walking Plan shortly from the National Transport Authority and will aim to publish it shortly thereafter.