Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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156. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the traffic delays experienced by employers and their employees in Limerick as a result of roads being replaced by cycle lane routes. [10774/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel. Funding is administered through the NTA, who, in partnership with local authorities, have responsibility for the selection and development of specific projects in each local authority area. My Department and I receive regular updates on project progress and delivery from the NTA, including in relation to ongoing projects in Limerick.

€290 million has been allocated by the Department of Transport to the National Transport Authority (NTA) in 2023 for Active Travel measures around the country. The NTA disperses this funding to all local authorities, works with them to identify walking and cycling projects and oversees their delivery. Of the total 2023 funding, €20 million was allocated to Limerick City and County Council. This significant increase in funding over the last number of years across all local authorities is a reflection of the Government's prioritisation of sustainable transport, a key aspect of our move to reduce carbon emissions across the transport sector. 

The Programme for Government commits to significant investment in walking and cycling infrastructure in order to encourage modal shift where possible away from private car use. The National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland (NIFTI) outlines an investment hierarchy whereby active and sustainable transport, including cycling, is prioritised for investment above infrastructure for private car use. In order to encourage modal shift away from private cars, alternative infrastructure such as safe and connected cycle lanes, must be provided and this is the overall aim of NTA's Active Travel programme, funded through my Department.