Waterways Ireland advises that the towpath on the south bank of the Grand Canal adjacent to Church Avenue in Sallins, Co Kildare will be closed from Tuesday 15 to Saturday 26 February.

This closure is to facilitate tree removal works for the new Grand Canal Greenway route, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways says. It follows a similar closure from Lucan to Hazelhatch that continues until this Sunday 6 February.

Waterways Ireland advises users of the Grand Canal from Lock 12 in Lucan to Hazelhatch that the towpath on the north bank will be closed from Monday 10 January to Sunday 6 February inclusive.

This four-week closure is to facilitate site investigation works for the Grand Canal Greenway Project, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways says.

A number of greenways along Ireland’s waterways will benefit from a funding package for greenways and national roads worth two-thirds of a billion euro, which was announced today (Friday 17 December).

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan confirmed that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has issued funding allocations totalling €676 million to local authorities for 2022.

Out of this, €60 million has been allocated to around 40 greenway projects across the country in 2022, in nearly every single county. This funding is part of an overall commitment to invest €360 million per year in active travel over the lifetime of the Government.

Minister Ryan said the funding will also support extensions of the Grand Canal Greenway in Offaly, Kildare and South Dublin and join the Waterford to New Ross Greenway with the Waterford Greenway, among other projects.

He continued: “I’m particularly happy that agreement has been reached on a Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways. This code has been agreed with the farming representative bodies and other stakeholders and provides us with an approved way to achieve voluntary land sales for Greenways where needed.

“Community buy-in is central to the future of our Greenways, which are one of the big success stories of rural Ireland. Greenways are a wonderful amenity for leisure and tourism, and they are also important for everyday journeys to school, work or the shops.”

The Grand Canal Greenway will be extended from the 12th Lock in Lucan to Hazelhatch Bridge after Transport Minister Eamon Ryan allocated an additional €1.4 million to South Dublin County Council for the completion of the works by 2022.

The funding forms part of the Department of Transport’s Greenway Programme worth €63.5 million, the highest single year amount ever allocated to this type of infrastructure.

Minister Ryan said: “I am delighted to allocate €1.4m towards the extension of the Grand Canal Greenway from the 12th Lock to Hazelhatch Bridge.

“This key 4km section will provide safe segregated access to people working in Grange Castle Business Park as well as those living in Hazelhatch, Celbridge and the surrounding areas.

“This project is a great example of the role that greenways are playing in providing safe and enjoyable access to schools and workplaces as well as opportunities for leisure and tourism.

When completed, the works “will enable people to walk and cycle from Inchicore to Hazelhatch Bridge, and later in 2023 as far as Sallins in Co Kildare”.

The minister added that additional funding was already provided to Offaly County Council in 2020 to extend the Grand Canal Greenway from Daingean to Edenderry.

“By the end of 2023 we will have nearly 70 kilometres of greenway completed alongside the canal in South Dublin, Kildare and Offaly,” he said.

“Funding is also in place to develop a future route between the Grand and Royal canals which South Dublin and Fingal County Councils are working to progress over the coming years.”

This project will be co-funded by South Dublin County Council to a total of €2.1 million.