Minister for Transport Shane Ross was responding to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil deputy Éamon Ó Cúiv who asked him about his department’s policy on greenways, cycle ways which cut through the countryside.

A decision to halt work on the Galway and Roscommon sections of the Galway to Dublin off-road cycle route, known as the Galway-to-Dublin Greenway, was made in October 2015 by former Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe. The decision followed the publication of a report by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, which found there were strong objections from farmers and landowners to the project as the cycle way would cut through their land.

In June 2016, Minister Ross indicated that he would soon be lifting the “pause button” on this section of the Greenway, saying he wants “to ensure it will go ahead soon”.

However, replying to Éamon Ó Cuív just last week, Minister Ross said his department is still working on developing “a greenways strategy” that will address landowners’ concerns.

Strategy

According to the minister, his department’s strategy includes “consultation with landowners and possible compensation for compulsory land purchase”.

Given the cost of these projects, permissive access is not usually an appropriate model as it does not protect the state’s investment

The minister, however, ruled out the possibility of permissive access to farmers’ lands, saying it does not protect the state’s investment in the cycle route.

“Given the cost of these projects, permissive access is not usually an appropriate model as it does not protect the state’s investment,” he told Ó Cúiv.

“My Department’s policy is to ensure that cycling infrastructure projects funded using taxpayers money are available to be used at all times by all that wish to use them.”

The minister added that he is “aware that land ownership issues have arisen in a number of greenways that are currently at planning and/or design stage,” and therefore “it is becoming clear that a consistent approach will be required to deal with this in future”.

“My Department is currently working on developing a greenways strategy that will address this issue and many others, and will be consulting all relevant stakeholders as this is progressed in the coming months,” he added.

Farmers left in dark with Galway Greenway

Full coverage: Greenway

Ross rules out permissive access to farmers' land affected by Greenway

The Department of Transport is still looking at how it will approach landowners affected by cycle ways in the countryside, but it has ruled out the possibility of permissive access to farmers' land.