The Department of the Environment says two sets of criteria were used to identify greenway projects for funding.
The Sunday Business Post reports that a 1.9 million euro project in Co Tipperary was given the go ahead, even though it wasn't among those recommended by an expert assessment team.
And four million euro was announced for the Athlone to Mullingar Greenway project during the by-election campaign last May.
An independent assesment team was tasked with drawing up a shortlist of ten proposed world class greenways, which resulted in three being funded.
And further money was allocated under a stimulus fund, allowing extra greenways to receive money.
