Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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237. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the schemes under which funding is available for the development of walkways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6674/22]

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 almost 1,000 kilometres of new and improved walking and cycling infrastructure by 2025 as well as additional investment in Greenways.

I believe this investment will be very beneficial to our society, our health and our environment. It will support projects across the country, in both urban and rural Ireland, as this Government looks to change the nature of transport in Ireland.

The exchequer capital funding available for Greenways and Active Travel from my Department in 2022 is €360 million. This is divided between circa €60 million for Greenways, managed by TII and €290 million for Active Travel, managed by the NTA, with the remaining money delivered directly by my Department or through other agencies. These allocations were made available through from own Department’s expanded Active Travel and Greenways programmes.

The Deputy should be aware that funding for walkways may also be available through other programmes such as the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, which is the responsibility of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage as well as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, both of which are the responsibility of the Department of Rural and Community Development.