merrion street

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross T.D. and Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Brendan Griffin T.D. today welcomed the additional funding agreed by the Government for their Department’s programmes out to 2021. Total funding for the Department’s programmes next year is €2.03 billion, which is €215m more than the 2017 allocation.
It represents almost 12% (€215m) increase on gross expenditure levels over 2017. This allocation will provide the resources to target investment in our transport network, support our tourism sector and promote sport to drive our country forward.
The additional €63m will enable additional funding for Public Service Obligation payments, to support the continued delivery of these socially necessary but financially unviable services that have grown in recent years, and to facilitate some further expansion including the commencement next year of the planned roll-out of bus market opening. It will fund necessary repairs to roads following the Donegal flooding and facilitate Brexit proofing through the provision of additional funding for Tourism Marketing.
The newly increased allocation of €2.03bn will allow the Department to
· address emerging capacity constraints on our public transport systems – within Dublin and across the regions;
· step up investment in climate friendly and sustainable transport solutions;
· remove bottlenecks in the existing road network;
· build further on the recent success of our tourism industry; and
· provide for improved sports facilities
Speaking today Minister Ross said;
“This year, as part of the Capital Plan I am delighted to be in a position to be able to announce ambitious projects which include: a spend of over €100 million on vital local and national sports infrastructure, investment of over €30 million in the development of Greenways to bring tourism benefits to regional locations and the provision of infrastructure to support safe and sustainable commuting by cycling or walking in urban areas to a value of €80 million over the period.”
Welcoming today’s announcement Minister Griffin said:
“Today’s Budget is very much one to be welcomed and with additional funding secured for Tourism and Sport we can continued to support and promote the sectors to maintain growth and drive the country forward. Additional funding for the Sports Capital Programme should also allow for an increase in the money being allocated under the current Programme.”
Both Ministers will outline in further detail the allocation of these funds and the increases across the Capital Plan out to 2021 in a dedicated public address on Wednesday 11 October.