Walking and Cycling in 2026: What Ireland’s €360 Million Funding Will Deliver
Ministers have confirmed €360 million in capital funding for Active Travel and Greenways in 2026, aimed at expanding safer walking and cycling options across Ireland, in both urban and rural areas.
What this means in practice for households is more everyday routes that feel usable, not aspirational: protected or segregated cycle lanes, safer crossings, wider footpaths, better junction treatments, and “missing links” that connect homes to schools, shops, bus stops and rail stations. This is being delivered through the National Transport Authority’s Active Travel investment programme with local authorities, and through Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s greenway and national roads active travel work.
How the €360 million is split: €290 million is allocated to the NTA’s Active and Sustainable Transport Investment Programme to progress close to 1,000 walking and cycling projects of different sizes in 2026, plus an additional €8 million for behavioural change and training (including school cycle training and workplace and campus programmes). The remaining €62 million is allocated to greenway delivery and related active travel infrastructure on national roads, and to progress the National Cycle Network.
Why this matters to you day-to-day. First, safety. The policy direction is explicitly about protecting “more vulnerable road users” and improving collision prevention, aligned with Vision Zero goals (zero road deaths or serious injuries by 2050). If you currently avoid cycling or letting children cycle because roads feel hostile, that is the core barrier this programme is intended to reduce.
Second, cost and time. Short trips are the most “switchable” journeys—school runs, local shopping, commuting to a nearby workplace or transport hub. When footpaths and cycle routes are continuous and safe, families can realistically replace some car trips, reducing fuel and parking costs and, for many households, cutting the number of car journeys that create stress rather than convenience.
Third, health and liveability. Active travel infrastructure is not only transport; it changes public space quality—safer streets, more comfortable walking environments, and better local access. The programme is framed as supporting “safe, sustainable and healthy transport options” and improving public spaces.
Where you may see works. Examples referenced for 2026 include projects such as Broadmeadow Estuary Greenway (Dublin), Lehenaghmore Road Improvement Scheme (Cork), Mary Immaculate College to City Centre Active Travel Scheme (Limerick), and Tramore Ring Road Active Travel Scheme (Waterford). On the greenway side, examples include the South Kerry Greenway and an Ulster Canal Greenway extension in Monaghan, alongside national road active travel schemes and National Cycle Network progress.
The Climate Action link is direct. Government climate policy for transport includes targets to increase walking, cycling and public transport trips by 2030, and active travel build-out is positioned as a practical lever to reduce transport emissions. For 2026 specifically, the programme expectation referenced publicly is delivery of substantial lengths of new or improved walking and cycling infrastructure, with national policy continuing to emphasise mode shift.
Local authority allocations (combined Active Travel and Greenway, 2026) in the published breakdown include, for example: Dublin City €35.95m; Cork City €27.05m; Fingal €24.0m; Cork County €19.875m; South Dublin €19.25m; Limerick City & County €19.355m; Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown €18.45m; Kildare €16.1275m; Kerry €12.7m; Donegal €10.82m; Meath €10.85m; Galway City €10.0m; Mayo €10.785m; and others across all counties.