Velorail war of words continues as Ring hits back

Fine Gael TD and former Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring has strongly defended the Kiltimagh Velorail project in the wake of stinging criticism of it by one of his party colleagues in Westport.

Cllr Peter Flynn recently told Mayo Co Council's Tourism Strategic Policy Committee that the Velorail, which only opened on June 10, was "an hour and a half of boredom" that is not going to deliver for Mayo. The project received funding while Deputy Ring was Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Westport TD told the Western People he disagreed with Cllr Flynn whose comments have provoked an angry response from IRD Kiltimagh, which is a key supporter of the project.

“The Velorail is a new idea," said Deputy Ring. "It is something different and it’s another tourism product for the county and I think it’s doing very well. I’ve heard nothing but positive comments about it.”

Joe Kelly, the CEO of IRD Kiltimagh, said he was disappointed with Cllr Flynn's negative comments and said the Velorail had enjoyed a very good inaugural tourist season.

“It’s had a good year. We have proven that it can operate as a community business and we are very happy with how it has performed as a community business and how it has performed as a tourist attraction bringing people to the Kiltimagh and East Mayo areas,” he said. “As an organisation and as a community we were highly surprised by the unprecedented negative comments made by Councillor Flynn, but they don’t detract from the project or our commitment to it.” 

Mr Kelly said hoteliers across Mayo, including in Cllr Flynn’s hometown of Westport, had been very happy with the additional visitors who travelled to Mayo to experience the Velorail.

However, when contacted by the Western People yesterday, Cllr Flynn reiterated his view that the Velorail does not represent value for money.

“They estimated in year one there would be 10,000 visitors and it would increase to 80,000 by year five but in year one there were 2,500 visitors and it’s closed now again,” he said.

Cllr Flynn said he does not intend to retract his controversial comments and said he was "stunned" that Kiltimagh IRD had called for him to resign in a letter to Fine Gael Cllr Michael Burke, who is chairman of the Mayo Fine Gael Councillors' Group.