IFA to meet with Paschal Donohoe on Greenway crux
LOCAL IFA leaders are to meet with Transport Minister, Pascal Donohoe over the next couple of weeks to outline concerns over the proposed Greenway route from Ballinasloe through to the edge of Galway city.
Over recent months, there have been increasing concerns that the cycleway/walkway route could split farms while there were also fears expressed over the use of CPOs (compulsory purchase orders) to buy the land.
This week, Galway IFA Chairman, Pat Murphy, told the Farming Tribune that local TD, Ciaran Cannon, was in the process of setting up ‘a clear the air’ meeting with Minister Donohoe on the proposed Greenway route.
Galway IFA have also set up a sub-committee – the Greenway Working Group – to examine all aspects of the project with a view to protecting farmers from any forced seizure of their lands.
“This problem certainly hasn’t gone away. There are very real fears among farmers that their holdings could be split by this route and we are completely opposed to any use of the CPO process for the purchase of land,” said Pat Murphy.
He said that the IFA and farmers were convinced that the alternative routes had not been adequately researched, adding that ‘there had to be a better way’ of putting the Greenway project in place.
The IFA are hoping to have National President, Eddie Downey, present at the meeting with Minister Donohoe on the Greenway proposal, an issue that has already brought large crowds to meetings in different areas along the route.
The western section of the Greenway project – aimed at constructing a coast to coast walkway/cycleway from Dublin to Galway – comes under the remit of the Westmeath, Roscommon and Galway County Councils as well as Galway City Council, in conjunction with the Dept of Transport and Tourism.
A preferred corridor has been identified for the western section of the Greenway that will run from Athlone to Eyre Square via Ballinasloe, Aughrim, Kilreekil, Loughrea, Craughwell, Clarinbridge and Oranmore.
To date 30 kilometres of the Greenway has been developed from the Meath border to Mullingar along the Royal Canal and work is currently well in progress on developing a further 40 kilometres along a disused railway line from Mullingar to Athlone, which should be completed by next July.
The next stage of the route is proposed to be constructed through lands owned by Bord na Mona as well as farmers and other private landowners.