Minister for Transport working on ways to fund Blessington Greenway – Doyle

Fine Gael TD for Wicklow/East Carlow Andrew Doyle says “the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohue TD has accepted the real value of projects like the Blessington Greenway and is working to see whether there is some way in which the Government would be able to fund the project, over of a number of years.” The Minister was responding to a Dail question by Deputy Doyle.

“This cycleway or walkway that is known as the greenway in Blessington is sited around Pollaphuca Reservoir and is a project of great value and well worth funding. This project stands up to scrutiny. An economic impact assessment took place when the Blessington and District Forum began the project in 2011. It estimated that between domestic, overseas and local residents the economic boost in a year would be of the order of €7 million. It was also assessed in early 2014 by a panel of experts and it scored very highly. The project can be completed in a year and it is shovel-ready.”

Speaking in the Dail Minister Donohue said “While I am not in a position to say I have funding available at the moment, I accept the real value of projects like this and I am working at the moment to see whether there is some framework or way in which we would be able to fund these projects over of a number of years to enable more of them to be realised.”

Deputy Doyle welcomed the Minister’s comments and said “I’m very pleased to hear that the Minister sees the value in this project and I will continue to work to ensure this important greenway receives the funding it deserves”.