Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

69. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report his work to promote active travel in County Carlow [12098/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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, equivalent to 20% of the entire transport budget. This investment will help support the planned delivery of almost 1,000 kilometres of improved walking and cycling infrastructure by 2025 as well as additional investment in Greenways.

2021 saw the first ever major Active Travel investment programme for rural Ireland. €72.8m was allocated to 19 local authorities to support the delivery of 340 sustainable transport projects, including an allocation of €2.426m to Carlow County Council. 2022 saw this allocation increase to €2.515m.

This year has seen another increase in my Department's overall funding for cycling and walking, in line with the Government’s prioritisation of Active Travel and Greenways. As well as an allocation of €289m administered through the National Transport Authority (NTA) to Active Travel I was delighted to announce funding of €60m for investment in our Greenways. This included €60,000 for the feasibility, and pre-appraisal of the Barrow Valley Greenway in Carlow. 

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 Cycle Right 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 School Programme last year which aims to accelerate the delivery of walking, scooting and cycling infrastructure on key access routes to schools. All schools were eligible to apply to the Programme and information was circulated from the Departments of Education and Transport to schools nationwide. By the deadline of 16th April 2021, 931 applications had been received from schools in every county in Ireland. 170 schools were notified on 21st June that they have been selected for inclusion in the first round of the SRTS Programme, including 4 schools in Co. Carlow.

The step-change in funding committed in Budget 2022 and the introduction of numerous innovative measures to encourage Active Travel is proof of the Government's commitment to this area, and I look forward to the delivery of the numerous projects and programmes around the country.