€12million windfall revealed for Kilkenny roads - including Inistioge link to Greenway

Roads in Kilkenny are to benefit from funding of almost €12million this year, it has been announced by the Department of Transport.

Included in the funding, for the first time, is an allocation for links between the South East Greenway at New Ross and Inistioge (at Woodstock Estate) - something local representatives have been calling for since the South East Greenway development began.

Also included is funding for greenway links in the Barrow Valley.

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Green Party TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, Minister Malcolm Noonan, says new greenways being proposed for Carlow-Kilkenny under Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s (TII’s) 2023 Grant Allocation to local authorities have the potential to create new local amenities and open up a new sustainable tourism offering for both counties.

TII’s 2023 Grant Allocations to Local Authorities, announced this afternoon (Thursday), include a total allocation to Carlow County Council of €2,088,898, and a total allocation to Kilkenny County Council of €11,995,283.

Breakdowns of these allocations show significant investment across both counties in road maintenance and improvement, route lighting and specific winter maintenance, along with a €60,000 greenway allocation for Barrow Valley to Bagnelstown to Palace East, and a €100,000 greenway allocation for Inistioge (at Woodstock Estate) to New Ross (at South East Greenway).

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Welcoming the allocations today, Minister Noonan said: “This is a most welcome allocation of funding for Carlow-Kilkenny’s transport infrastructure, and another indication that government is continuing to invest heavily in the viability of our regional towns and cities.

“Enhancing and maintaining our existing road network is of utmost importance, and it’s important too that we begin new scoping work to identify and start to deliver new greenways and routes for walking and cycling. The routes identified in this particular allocation will prove extremely valuable, not just to local people in providing sustainable connectivity and new local amenities, but with any greenway you have the opportunity too to bring sustainable tourism to the area. It’s a fantastic investment in the region.”