Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government committed to earmarking around €360 million in cross-Government funding for walking and cycling per annum over the lifetime of the Government. The majority of this funding comes through my Department, which provides funding to the National Transport Authority's (NTA's) Active Travel Programme and Transport Infrastructure Ireland's (TII's) Greenways Programme.

While Departmental allocations are subject to the annual budgetary process and are decided on a year-to-year basis, the earmarked funding under the Programme for Government has allowed funding to the NTA's Active Travel Programme to remain static at around €290 million for the past three years.

As Minister for Transport, I am responsible for the overall policy and funding of Active Travel infrastructure. The allocation of this funding to the various local authorities falls to the NTA who are responsible for overseeing the delivery of both new projects and upgrading of existing infrastructure, therefore year-to-year allocations to local authorities are a matter for the NTA rather than the Department of Transport.

While the provision of new infrastructure is a priority in order to encourage modal shift away from private car use and towards active travel, it is essential that such infrastructure is maintained to a level where it is both attractive and, most importantly, safe to use.

While funding for the maintenance of active travel infrastructure, which is a current funding stream, was not secured in Budget 2024 due to a high level of competing demands both within my Department and across Government, my officials will continue to seek funding as part of the annual estimates process.