€1.5m funding announced for cross-border Carlingford Greenway

The Shared Island Fund is to provide a €1.5m contribution to enable the completion of an outstanding element of the cross-border Carlingford Greenway, a 1.6km boardwalk structure outside Newry, it was announced today by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Minister Eamon Ryan

Funding is also being provided by the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland and other sections of the Greenway are supported under the INTERREG VA programme.

The Carlingford Greenway is seen as a flagship cross-border active travel project and it aligns with the objective under the National Development Plan to create an island-wide border region greenway network from the Atlantic coast to the Eastern seaboard, and the Department of Transport are actively exploring potential approaches to link existing border-region greenway routes to develop a transformational green infrastructure asset for residents and to grow sustainable tourism.

The project is overseen by the Department of Transport, working with Louth County Council and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council in consultation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.

Commenting today, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said: “With today’s funding allocations, the Government is taking a step forward with our Shared Island investment objectives and meeting commitments under the New Decade, New Approach agreements. It is a clear signal that if we are to address climate challenges we are better to work on an all-island basis.

"Other Shared Island programmes on Community Climate Action and Electric Vehicle charging point installation will get confirmation of grant awards in the coming months.

"We will work to progress other collaborative investment with the new Executive, including further investment in sustainable transport and the green energy transition, so that together we provide for a sustainable future across the island of Ireland.”