I thank the Deputy for raising this because it gives me an opportunity to look into it. I am a big supporter of active travel. This year, we will spend about €363 million across the country on active travel. We have already invested over €1 billion in these programmes. I am aware that Tramore Valley Park is a tremendous facility but I am also aware of the frustrations raised by the Deputy, namely, that there is no pedestrian access from the Ballyphehane side. The allocation this year is significant in this sense in that it is an allocation of €4,000. We have made contact with Cork City Council about this. It is very aware of the missing link into Tramore Valley Park across the South Link Road. In fact the, council has submitted a proposal to the NTA to help to address the issue. The proposed Kinsale Road to Tramore Valley Park pedestrian-cycle connection would provide that improved pedestrian and cycle infrastructure on the Kinsale Road and the Mick Barry Road as well as a pedestrian and cycle bridge into Tramore Valley Park. What has been allocated now, the €4,000 to support the development of options and a preliminary design for this project, is the first step. Obviously, the project itself will cost more than that, but what the Deputy has identified is what we are finding across the country, namely, that really good parts of networks are being delivered and then the gaps are identified. Some of them are being planned out and delivered in full but, more and more, we are seeing those networks link up together. People do respond to them. This gap has been identified. It is a prime example of where intervention would actually join those dots. The allocation has been made at €4,000 to do the preliminary design work and to look at the options. That comes in and we can look towards funding that project into 2027 because we have committed to a minimum of €360 million per year for the term of this Government. It is important to note that Cork County Council was allocated €27 million this year to support approximately 70 active travel schemes, including that proposed severance link and the issues at Tramore Valley Park. I am aware of this now. I encourage the Deputy over the course of the year to make sure that the local authority progresses that preliminary design and the options. We can get it in for a full funding application for next year.

Sentiment score: 0.22

As I said, I am very supportive of these projects. I said Cork County Council area but it was Cork City Council area that was allocated €27 million this year under the NTA’s active and sustainable transport investment programme. What happens is the NTA will do the allocations. The draft allocations come to us. We have a very good active travel team within the Department but the local authorities are the critical link to make sure proposals they have are prioritised. That design work is really important and the options. It looks to me from what I have read that it is likely it will be the bridge option, but this is a very early stage. I am confident with the allocation we have through the revised NDP that we will be able to continue to deliver these projects at scale, including this one. Last year approximately 200 kilometres of cycling and walking routes were delivered across the country. Interestingly, in the coming days the NTA will publish last year's 2025 walking and cycling index for Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford. We hope to see positive signs of that continued modal shift arising, in part from the improvements to the active travel network, because people are responding to it. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. We will keep an eye on it and I am sure he will keep in touch with me. As he said it is important we work with colleagues in the local authority to ensure they get those options and designs done and get them submitted to the NTA so they can be given consideration for funding next year to advance the project. The preliminary design and planning has to go through and then we can move towards funding. We have the funds to deliver these projects.

Sentiment score: 0.29