Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

20. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport whether a review of the code of best practice for national and regional greenways has taken place; if so, the stakeholders that were involved; if not, when the review will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2614/26]

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

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for the overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to greenways. The planning, design and construction of individual National and Regional Greenways is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). They are tasked with maintaining the Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways.

The Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways was published in late 2021 following its development and finalisation by a sub-group made up of a range of representatives from the rural recreation, tourism, sport, farming, local business development and transport sectors. The intention of the Code is to ensure a transparent and pragmatic approach in relation to the delivery of Greenways and ensuring that landowners are engaged with throughout the development process.

As you may be aware, at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport (held on 12th November 2025), the issue of the Code of Practice for Greenways was discussed in some detail with the CEO of TII advising the committee that “the Code was put together in a spirit of engagement and collaboration with a whole host of stakeholders, including the IFA and other farming organisations. It is subject to an annual review, and this is now up again. We are more than happy to sit down with those organisations to see whether tweaks or changes are required to the Code to ensure we actually achieve the objectives that underpin the original Code, which were to deliver greenways and be respectful of landowners”.

TII have advised my officials that this remains the current position and preliminary work is underway in relation to this matter.