Fianna Fáil has expressed disappointment after the Government decided not to proceed with a proposed cycleway between Athlone and Galway.

TD for Longford and Westmeath Robert Troy has called on the Government to re-commit to the project and to ensure the cycleway is completed in full.

Mr Troy said the project was an integral part of the Dublin – Galway cycleway and the decision to shelve the project will make it more difficult to achieve tourism targets in Westmeath.

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He said: "The cycleway between Mullingar and Athlone which opened recently has been a huge success to date. However the failure to develop the overall route will limit its overall success and puts a ceiling on the number of tourists that the project will be able to attract into Westmeath.

"Athlone has already lost out on smarter travel funding under Minister Alan Kelly. The Minister previously ignored expert advice by providing funding to projects in his own constituency of Tipperary, despite an independent panel having outlined that towns such as Ahtlone were much more in need of funding."

(CD/LM)