Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

285. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider reviewing the code of best practice for national and regional greenways and the greenway sustainability payment, with a view to including coastal pathways; if he will consider the development of a standalone code of best practise for coastal pathways and a coastal pathway sustainability payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16660/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The “Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways” was published by the Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport in July 2018. It contained a commitment to develop a code of practice. The Code of Best Practice was published in December 2021 following its development and finalisation by a working-group made up of a range of representatives from the rural recreation, tourism, sport, farming, local business development and transport sectors. The code provides information on the planning, designing and constructing of Greenways. It includes an overview of the public consultation processes, constraints study, route selection and statutory processes. It also includes information on the use of State-owned lands and the acquisition of private lands for developing Greenways.

As noted in Section 1 of the Code, there is a commitment to review the code on an annual basis – my officials have advised me that the last review meeting took place in November 2024 and a review meeting is expected to take place in late 2025. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) are tasked with maintaining the Code of Practice in conjunction with their role as the agency responsible for funding the planning, design, and construction of individual National and Regional Greenways. The annual review meeting represents an important mechanism to ensure continued cooperation between signatories to the Code and issues of concern are discussed at this forum and take action/s as appropriate.

The Code of Practice is applicable to greenways funded by the Department of Transport and TII (routes generally longer than 20km). The funding of coastal pathways and the development / operation of a coastal pathway sustainability payment is not appropriate to the Department of Transport or any agencies within its remit.