Mayo councillor claims Greenway to Murrisk will go through flood plain

AN Independent councillor has claimed that a proposed route to extend the Greenway to Murrisk will bring it through a flood plain and a haven for wildlife.

The National Roads Office of Mayo County Council are currently developing plans to extend the Greenway from Belclare to Murrisk and one route option is to construct an entirely new seven-metre-wide cycle path to the south of the main road up through Brackloon and the foothills of Croagh Patrick to Murrisk.

Carrowholly-based councillor John O'Malley told the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council that people living along this proposed route are against the idea of the greenway going through the centre of their land as it would render it useless.

The Independent councillors also claimed that the route will be going through a flood plain and questioned the logic behind the route option.

“They have to put a bridge across this river and it is a flood zone and pure boggy area. How they will put a bridge across that river without interrupting the river and the wildlife. The entire area floods to the depth of four or five feet. Since last September that area has flooded 14 times with up to ten acres covered in four to five feet of water and they want to put a greenway there. It is the daftest thing I have ever heard of,” he said.

Cllr O'Malley also told the meeting that the valley is a haven for wildlife and asked why were the National Parks and Wildlife Service not looking out for the wildlife in this instance.

“Where is the National Parks and Wildlife on this and where is the county council on this because it is a haven for wildlife. It is a quiet valley and now you are talking about putting a greenway through it and disrupting that valley. I don't know how you will bring the greenway to stop it from being flooded because it has been flooded 14 times since September.

“None of those people want that. I tell you this if a farmer tried to put a road through any field he would not go five yards before he would be stopped. Yet you want to put a greenway there. No way is there a greenway going there. The people don't want it and I won't support it,” he said.

Cllr O'Malley said the best option was to bring the greenway along the main road to Murrisk and believes that landowners will be amenable to this even if it means the front of their property will take back from the road.

Fianna Fáil councillor Brendan Mulroy agreed with Cllr O'Malley that any route option should not be going through as flood plain. He said part of the greenway at Kilmeena floods heavily during heavy rain which he said needs to be sorted out or there may be a fatality.

“Let's not put a greenway through a place which floods and may cause death. There is a lot to be discussed and taken on board but putting a greenway through a flood plain is not good planning and Kilmeena is a prime example of that,” he said.

A public consultation event to outline the emerging preferred route option for the Belclare to Murrisk Greenway takes place on Thursday, February 22 in Cronin's Sheebeen Pub & Restaurant in Rosbeg, Westport. Drawings of the emerging preferred route will be on display and staff from Mayo County Councils National Roads Office will be available to answer questions relating to the scheme.

Cllr Christy Hyland said that no decision has been made on the preferred route and urged people to attend the consultation event and talk to the council staff if they have concerns.