Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to Greenways. €63 million has been allocated by my Department to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in 2023 for the delivery of its Greenway Programme. Of this, €2.1m has allocated to Clare County Council for Greenway projects under their remit.

€780,000 has been allocated to the Limerick to Scariff Greenway. The proposed 40km of Greenway will begin in Limerick City Centre, travelling along the Park Canal to Black Bridge, Plassey and will then continue along the Errina Canal to Clonlara before arriving at the Ardnacrusha Headrace. From Lough Derg, the Greenway will continue through Killaloe before reaching Scariff Harbour. The Greenway is being developed in conjunction with Waterways Ireland and in the context of Fáilte Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand, the Shannon Tourism Masterplan, the Lough Derg Visitor Experience Development Plan and Clare’s Tourism Strategies. This Greenway will form part of the proposed Shannon Greenway which will run from the river’s source to the estuary. It is currently at Phase 1 - Concept and Feasibility of the TII Project Management Guidelines. It is intended to go to public consultation with Route Corridor Options in late June or early July of this year.

In addition, €300,000 has been allocated to progress the Shannon to Limerick Greenway. The proposed Greenway will connect Shannon Town, Bunratty and onto Limerick city environs and will be approximately 18km in length, offering both a tourist route for cyclists between Shannon and Limerick with potential commuting options. This project is at Phase 0 - Scope and Pre-Appraisal. It is envisaged that technical advisors will be appointed in late 2023 with a target date for completion of Phase 0 of mid-2024. There is potential for the scheme to be delivered on a phased basis. In that regard, Clare County Council are well advanced in the completion of a feasibility study for the early delivery of the section from Shannon to Bunratty, and thereafter a link to Sixmilebridge.