508. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he will finalise an application by a group (details supplied) in County Tipperary under the expressions of interest for recreation projects 2015; the current status of the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3960/16]

509. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he will finalise an application by a group (details supplied) in County Tipperary under the expressions of interest for recreation projects 2015; the current status of the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3961/16]

522. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of an application for funding to develop a cycleway by a community group (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4164/16]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 508, 509 and 522 together.

In late 2015, my Department invited expressions of interest from a variety of organisations, agencies and groups in respect of the funding of recreational infrastructure projects, should funding become available and projects be capable of completion by year end. Unfortunately, this did not prove possible, not least because of adverse weather conditions, and the projects concerned, including those referred to in these Questions, did not proceed.

The initiative generated a considerable amount of interest and as my Department does have a limited amount of funding available for 2016 it intends to run a formal scheme shortly. All those who submitted an expression of interest in 2015 will be notified of the details of the new scheme in due course.