The Department of the Environment says two sets of criteria were used to identify greenway projects for funding.

The Sunday Business Post reports that the €1.9m project in Co Tipperary was not among those recommended by an expert assessment team.

And €4m was announced for the Athlone to Mullingar Greenway project during the by-election campaign last May.

The Sunday Business Post says this was despite the fact that it was not on the shortlist either.

Thirty-eight greenways were proposed and an independent assessment team drew up a shortlist of 10.

An independent assessment team was tasked with drawing up a shortlist of ten proposed world class greenways, which resulted in three being funded.

Further money was allocated under a stimulus fund, allowing extra greenways to receive money.