Funding of €4.5 million for 26 greenway projects has been announced today by Minister for Climate Change and Transport Eamon Ryan.
Projects allocated funding include the Barrow Valley Greenway in Carlow, the Cavan Railway Greenway, the West Clare Railway Greenway, and the Fingal Coastal Way in Dublin.
The funding will provide support for the planning and design of greenways around the country and was allocated under the Carbon Tax Fund 2020.
Minister Ryan said he was “delighted” to announce the funding that would “support the Greenways Strategy and help local authorities prepare greenway projects to be ready for construction funding in the coming years.”
“These greenways will encourage tourism in the future, and will also provide a safe, segregated space for people walking and cycling,” he said.
The Minister said he was particularly pleased that greenway proposals in Longford, Roscommon and Offaly had been included in the funding – areas supported by the Just Transition Fund for the Midlands region, which aims to support green enterprise and jobs.
He said the funding would also facilitate cross-Border projects: “The inclusion of funding for the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Greenway is particularly important in terms of continued work on a cross-Border basis.”
Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin also welcomed the announcement: “Greenways can play an important role in supporting local communities to create jobs and bring visitors to areas of the country that might not otherwise experience tourism.
“As we have seen over the course of the lockdown, people are eager to get out into nature and avail of the stunning scenery in our country.”
