Greenways are a success story and have the potential to be an even greater one. In general, tourism in Ireland is a success story. A significant number of tourists come to Ireland but their visits tend to be concentrated in exactly the same places as were popular with tourists in Victorian times. There are various campaigns, such as Ireland's Hidden Heartlands and so on, to try to disperse tourists and get them to consider other areas, with a degree of success. Greenways have significant potential to disperse people across the country and develop a new type of tourism. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is present. The greenway in County Waterford is a success story, and there are others. Waterways Ireland has developed a greenway running from Dublin to Athlone. It will continue from Athlone to Galway, dipping south through Portumna, Woodford, Gort and Kinvara and across the Slieve Aughty mountains.

I wish to focus on a particular greenway of which the Taoiseach is aware. Eoin O'Hagan of Tourism East Clare previously brought it to his attention. It is the Limerick-Scarriff greenway, running along the banks of the oldest canal in the country, namely, the Errina Canal, and from there skirting to Parteen Weir and then along the River Shannon up to Scarriff. It is an exciting project in an area that needs an injection of tourism. There were many tourists in east Clare when I was growing up but there are fewer now. I celebrate the success of places such as Lahinch, Kilkee and Spanish Point but it is clear there is an imbalance.

We need to maintain a balance and we need to grow tourism in other parts of the country too. I believe this has the capability to do that, not only in and of itself and but also because, as I mentioned, the Athlone-to-Galway greenway will dip south through the Slieve Aughty mountains, which means it will go through the parish of Scarriff at Loughatorick, some 11 km from the village of Scarriff. There is an obvious potential to link them up, which would mean that one could walk or cycle along a greenway from Dublin to Kerry via east Clare, or from Galway Bay to Kerry via east Clare. That is hugely exciting.

There is a pinch point, however, at O'Briensbridge. It is ironic, really, because it is a village that was effectively bypassed by the Shannon scheme. It is a beautiful village but one that needs investment and tourists coming into it as it would have had historically. That pinch point is the ESB and Parteen Weir, which is a fantastic project that I saw as recently as this morning. It is something to which tourists would flock. The ESB has said that it cannot have a greenway with tourists going along its embankment. That may be the case. It may have legitimate concerns. If the civil engineering capability existed 100 years ago to harness the River Shannon, the civil engineering capability exists now to overcome this minor point. I ask the Taoiseach to make sure that Waterways Ireland and the ESB work constructively together to overcome this to ensure there is not an obstacle to what is a hugely exciting project for east Clare and beyond.

I thank Deputy McNamara for raising the issue of the Limerick-to-Scarriff greenway. I am aware of the project, which is very exciting. I am a big fan of greenways both as a local active amenity for people who live in the area but also as something that can be very attractive for tourists. It very much speaks to the Government's current strategy of trying to get longer-stay tourists to come into the country for more sustainable breaks.

The project is at phase 2 where technical advisers are examining options for a preferred route and undertaking extensive stakeholder engagement. Proposals to allow the use of ESB lands for the greenway are currently being considered by the ESB and further meetings are envisaged. Thereafter, and subject to agreement with the ESB, it is proposed to finalise the route options, and a preferred route consultation is expected after the summer. A figure of €70,000 has been allocated to the project so far, and a further €80,000 will be allocated in 2023.

Waterways Ireland, Clare County Council and Limerick City and County Council are currently engaged in the phase 2 option selection process. All reasonable feasible route corridors will be examined and their costs, benefits and effects on the environment will be interrogated to identify a preferred option. If approved, the project will then progress to phase 3, which is design and environmental evaluation. That includes assessment of the routes through the ESB lands between Cloonlara and O'Briensbridge. All relevant stakeholders are working together collaboratively to identify the best route and are confident that a solution can be found in the near future.

I have outlined to the Taoiseach the importance of this with regard to dispersing tourists. Obviously, that is why I have continually pressed the issue of the Shannon Heritage sites. I understand a deal is now imminent. I would like to express my thanks to the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. I also see the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, in the Chamber. I thank all who contributed to that deal. It is indeed good news. We need to make sure that tourism is dispersed, and it is part of Clare County Council's strategy to do so. Clare County Council is also developing the west Clare railway, which is progressing well. It is moving to design stage and the Kilkee to Kilrush leg will be the first one to be constructed and opened.

I want to go back to the greenway, however. Yes, the ESB is engaging with Waterways Ireland. Waterways Ireland has a really good track record for a relatively new body - it is very new, in fact; it is only approximately 20 years old - in what it has done. It has done all of it without going through the compulsory purchase order, CPO, process for a single centimetre of land. That is a huge achievement. The ESB wants it to go elsewhere and obtain land through a CPO. That is not the Waterways Ireland approach. It is the ESB approach. It loves obtaining land through CPOs and is quite good at litigation. It is not the Waterways Ireland approach. The ESB needs to work more collaboratively. I acknowledge the ESB's goodwill towards this, but it needs to work harder on it. I ask the Taoiseach to make sure his office brings that collaboration about.

I hear what the Deputy is saying. I know he is a strong advocate for this project. I do not know enough about the engineering pros and cons of this, but I will certainly make sure-----

I am happy to bring the Taoiseach there.

I would be happy to visit too. In the meantime, I will certainly speak to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, about it and the ESB as well.

I cannot tell them what to do or not do in engineering terms but I will certainly ask them to look at it in a favourable way, if that is possible.

W. T. Cosgrave could do it.

I thank Members for their co-operation. That concludes Leaders' Questions.