‘Something not right’ about Belcare to Murrisk greenway
Cllr Brendan Mulroy believes elected officials are not being kept properly informed on the proposed Great Western Greenway section between Belclare and Murrisk, Picture: Michael McLaughlin
Westport councillors have flagged concerns over the ongoing process surrounding the finalisation of a route path along the Great Western Greenway section between Belclare and Murrisk, which has been controversial ever since a second option to crisscross landowners property behind the R335 was put on the table.
Cllr Brendan Mulroy spoke out on the matter at a meeting of Westport Belmullet MD on Monday last, critical that he and fellow councillors may not be as updated on the project as they should be.
“This now famous greenway stretch from Belclare to Murrisk, local people received registered letters during the week telling them surveys will now be carried out on the land. Twelve months ago they should have updated us on the route selection but kicked it down the road at every opportunity. Now these letters say surveys will be carried out by the end of the year. What is going on?
“If they are only asking people now to carry out surveys, how could the preferred route option have been there if no surveys were carried out at all? There is a lot more at play here I think than we are being told as councillors,” suggested Mulroy.
“Last March, a year ago, they said they would come back to us with the preferred route. I’m trying to figure out what is going on here because elected members certainly are not being kept informed.”
MD Head Seamus Ó Mongáin replied: “We will bring it back to the National Transport Authority and ask for an update”, to which Cllr Mulroy agreed, adding: “Tell them to come before this MD’s meeting, because the timeframes are totally inaccurate and only asking landowners and farmers now to carry out surveys shows there is something not right.”
Cathaoirleach Cllr Peter Flynn stated: “The communication process around this has been poor from start to finish. Registered letters went out last week yet none of us were aware of this and it appears you in the MD office weren’t aware also. It is important we are made aware of each step of the process and every time a communication goes out to landowners, so that we are at least informed for any concerned landowner.”
He added: “Right now Cllr Mulroy has no idea what is happening, I have no idea and also the executive, and that has been a constant problem all along.”
