Imelda Goldsboro (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer.

Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking this Commencement matter. I sincerely wish him the best of luck in his new role and look forward to working with him for the benefit of the people of County Wexford.

I put forward this matter on the basis of my experiences as an elected councillor in Wexford relating to the allocation of funding for our rural villages, specifically for footpaths. When I was first elected in 2019, it was possible to liaise directly with the district engineer and in the case of rural villages, it was possible to get funding through Wexford County Council to supply a footpath. When the previous Government took office, the then Minister, Eamon Ryan, introduced the active travel scheme, which brought about a significant shift in how we delivered footpaths. Most footpaths were subsequently delivered directly through that scheme and the case was put forward that my fellow elected officials and I would liaise with the district engineer, who would then attempt to secure funding through the active travel programme.

That system worked very well in 2021 and 2022 but in 2023, I noticed a significant shift in that the active travel allocations for Wexford, which I imagine is replicated in other areas of the country, started to be focused on the large urban areas at the expense of some of our rural villages. I saw examples in my area where much sought-after footpaths in small rural villages simply were not getting the allocation of funding that was previously possible because of the criteria that were introduced in 2022. Will the Minister of State look at this area? Ring-fenced money should be allocated for rural villages, specifically to target, for example, housing estates in a village that may have expanded beyond the location of the speed limit side. There may now be a housing estate that was constructed over recent years but there may be no linkage from that estate back to the village where the local school is. That needs to change.

Wexford is very grateful to have received €3.57 million in the most recent round of active travel funding but, unfortunately for us, while we are grateful to receive the allocation in our large towns, it did not materialise in some of those small rural villages, which had hoped for and anticipated funding. I ask the Minister of State to take this back to the Department and the officials. Perhaps we can work together to ensure there is a ring-fenced allocation of funding for smaller villages.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I congratulate the Senator on his election to Seanad Éireann and wish him well. I thank him for raising this important matter relating to active travel funding for small rural towns and villages. He is correct; the issue of ring-fencing money for rural villages is an important one and I will bring this back to the Department. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport.

The Government is committed to the funding of active travel and to achieving a modal shift in transport and increasing the number of active travel journeys over the coming years. This is evidenced in the commitments under various policy documents including the programme for Government, the climate action plan and the Department of Transport's national sustainable mobility plan, as well as in the significant increase in funding for walking and cycling measures over recent years.

The Government is committed to the provision of improved and expanded walking and cycling infrastructure in both urban centres and towns and villages throughout Ireland. The programme for Government has committed approximately €360 million per annum for the period 2021 to 2025 for walking and cycling infrastructure, the majority of which will be allocated to local authorities through the National Transport Authority, NTA’s, active travel infrastructure programme. A total of €290 million has been allocated to the active travel programme alone in 2025, with a further €67 million allocated to greenways this year. It is important we move quickly to reduce our carbon emissions and in doing so, we must promote a modal shift away from private car use. This will not be achieved without the provision of alternative transport modes such as active travel.

In respect of active travel funding, the NTA works with local authorities to identify projects that would benefit from investment through its active travel programme. These projects are usually based in cities, towns, both large and small, and rural villages. There are many examples of projects throughout the country that have received funding outside the larger urban areas. The Senator is nonetheless correct that there should be a liaison with the local authority, the district engineer and the NTA in regard to the matter he has raised.

A large number of projects are in the pipeline for delivery around the country in the coming years and as such, we are moving into a space of project prioritisation whereby funding will be allocated to the areas of greatest impact. While this may sometimes favour urban areas, the NTA will continue to work with local authorities to identify viable projects in both urban and rural areas that should receive funding. I assure the Senator there is no rule in place whereby funding must only be spent in our cities and larger towns. Providing viable active travel infrastructure in both rural and urban areas is vital for encouraging a modal shift away from private car use where possible, which, I am sure the Senator will agree, is a key priority as we try to meet our carbon emission reduction targets.

The Department's active travel funding also allows for dedicated active travel staff within the local authorities, including the 19 local authorities outside the greater Dublin area and the regional cities that did not receive active travel funding before 2021. Approximately 240 staff in place throughout the country are tasked with delivering the significant number of active travel projects in which the Department is currently investing. I am delighted we overachieved on our targeted spend for the past two years, with approximately €340 million invested through the NTA in walking and cycling projects in 2023 alone and an additional €321 million invested in 2024.

The safe routes to school programme is funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority. It was launched in 2021 with the aim of supporting walking, scooting and cycling to primary and post-primary schools and creating safer walking and cycling routes within communities through the provision of infrastructural interventions.

On the Senator's specific question regarding the selection of projects that receive funding under the NTA’s active travel programme, this is solely a matter for the local authorities and the NTA and, as he will be aware, neither the Minister or the Department has a role in this process. Nevertheless, I will take on board the Senator's points regarding direct input. He is correct and, as a former councillor for Enniscorthy, he is well aware of the needs of his area and similar areas. I thank him for raising the matter.

Notwithstanding what I have outlined, Department of Transport officials liaise with their counterparts in the NTA regularly in respect of overall funding of the active travel programme. I will ask my officials to bear in mind the Senator's suggestions regarding a designated active travel fund for small rural towns and villages during these discussions.

Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State. I very much welcome the engagement and his commitment to this idea of having a targeted, ring-fenced, designated fund for smaller rural villages to allow them to get access to funding from the active travel scheme for footpaths. We saw during Covid and more recently the great benefits that footpaths in these areas can have. They are truly transformative. The Minister of State is correct that it is my experience that, unfortunately for these smaller villages, they simply have not been able to get access to the levels of funding that should be there. It is important that there be a specifically designated fund to allow that to happen.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Transport has responsibility for overall funding and policy decisions in regard to active travel. Funding is administered through the NTA, which, in partnership with the local authorities, has responsibility for the selection and development of specific projects in each local authority area. I hope that consideration will be taken of the experience of people like the Senator, who is an active resident, citizen and public representative in respect of the benefits we can see from the investment in that footpath programme. The modal shift away from private car use toward sustainable transport modes such public transport, walking and cycling is a key aim of Government. As of the end of last year, €1 billion had been spent on walking and cycling infrastructure since 2020. This investment is hugely beneficial to society, our health and our environment and, in particular, will contribute to a reduction in carbon emissions as part of the Government’s climate action plan. It will also support projects, as the Government will, in both urban and rural Ireland as the Government seeks to change the nature of transport in Ireland. The footpath renewal programme, footpaths, greenways and active travel are very important. The Senator is right. When we go beyond the speed limit in many villages and small towns, there is a gap and a deficit. In my constituency on Waterfall Road from Heatherfield to Bishopstown, there is a huge gap, and similarly in the Senator’s Enniscorthy electoral area.

I again thank him for raising the matter and providing me with an opportunity to address the matter in the House. I hope we will work together to ensure that we can do a dedicated footpath renewal programme within our small, local regional areas - in particular, as the Senator said, in the non-larger urban areas. I thank him for that.

Imelda Goldsboro (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming in.