Questions about original west Mayo greenway plan as opposition stays firm on mountainside route

LOCAL opposition to the proposed Murrisk greenway remains steadfast.

Following the latest council debate on the proposed project, Councillor Peter Flynn said the message should go out - the greenway is pretty much dead.

He made the assertion in light of comments by other elected representatives at a municipal meeting this week who have asked why the route cannot run along the road, as was originally planned.

Councillor Brendan Mulroy, in light of Freedom of Information requests, questioned aspects of the original scheme from Belclare to Murrisk.

He wanted to know when was it pulled from the road and a decision taken to go up the mountain, involving CPO, noting funding had been approved for the original roadside plan in 2019.

Instead they were talking of putting it up into people's lands who are really stressed by it.

“I am asking, who made the decision to pull the plug on the greenway along the road and who made the decision to decide to go up into the hills and through people's land?”

Councillor Mulroy also asked if the route currently being considered will come back before the elected members for planning approval by way of Part 8 or will it go to An Bord Pleanála.

Municipal district head Seamus O'Mongáin said the proposed greenway is still at options selection report stage. The roads design office has requested to hold a workshop with councillors in the next month.

The project will come before councillors by way of Part 8, he added.

TII, he said, had become involved in the delivery of greenways and new standards determine what form they have to take and different options have to be considered.

Councillor Johnny O'Malley said the original greenway - six-foot wide - was to go along the road in tandem with the water scheme and laying of a fibre optic cable. It was shovel ready, so why was it pulled and changed, he asked.

What's proposed now is 'unacceptable'.

Councillor Chris Maxwell said TII is trying to force it up the side of a hill where no one wants it.

“That's not going to happen,” he told the meeting.

What was wrong with bringing it back the R335 - upgrade the road and put the greenway beside it, bringing the greenway back to Roonagh to hook up with the islands.

“Common sense, that's all we're asking for,” said Councillor Maxwell.

Councillor Peter Flynn reminded everyone that €2 million was lost to the district arising from the ORIS scheme audits.

The reality also was that responsibility for greenways has switched to TII and they are now working to different standards.

The route options will have to be approved under Part 8 by the local councillors and listening to the comments it was important, he said, the message goes out that pretty much 'the greenway is dead'.

He had heard the negative comments that it will not be supported, which was regrettable for the area.

“It will be a huge mistake,” he warned, the worst decision they would be making in all his 20 odd years as a councillor.