Loftus hits back at Flynn’s ‘clown’ comment as war of words erupts over Westport-Murrisk Greenway

A LOCAL election candidate in the Castlebar Electoral Area has described as ‘insulting, degrading and pathetic’ comments made by a sitting councillor about him and the proposed Murrisk Greenway.

Gerry Loftus, founder of the Rural Ireland Organisation, was responding to comments made by Westport-based councillor Peter Flynn at an SPC Tourism meeting.

During that meeting, Cllr Flynn made reference to Mr Loftus and his opposition to the controversial preferred route option of the Westport to Murrisk Greenway. Speaking out against election candidates’ negative statements about greenways, he took issue to comments made by ‘one clown in Lahardane’ about the greenway to Murrisk.

“In my view, some of the people involved are being hoodwinked by people purporting to represent landowners’ interests, but in fact only represent their own interest,” Cllr Flynn said. “You have people claiming to be representing rural farmers, but all they’re thinking about is the election coming up, and I particularly refer to one, and I’m going to say the word clown, in Lahardane, who has given false information at every turn in relation to greenways.”

Following the meeting, Mr Loftus, who is from Lahardane, released a statement criticising the comments made by Cllr Flynn, describing them as pathetic.

“At that meeting Mr Flynn resorted to name calling. I will not lower myself to that standard in any debate with Mr Flynn or indeed anybody else,” he said.

‘Unconditional support’

MR Loftus said that he is not running in the Westport Electoral Area and not looking for votes among the landowners in Murrisk but will continue to stand up and be a voice for all rural communities.

“I have been representing farmers at local, national and European level for many years now. I can assure Mr Flynn that I, through the Rural Ireland Organisation, will continue to represent the people of rural Ireland,” he said.

“The people affected by this interference of their property rights because of this proposed greenway will have our full and unconditional support. It is unfortunate that the people of Belclare and Murrisk elected somebody who has gone behind their back. This I hope will be corrected on June 7.”

Mr Loftus and the Rural Ireland Organisation (RIO) have given their full backing to the landowners from Belclare to Murrisk who are opposed to the preferred route option for the new greenway.

 _{Rural Ireland Organisation leader Gerry Loftus (Pic: Conor McKeown)}

‘Land grab’

THE extension of the greenway to Murrisk is being developed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Mayo County Council, who have identified the preferred route that will cut through people’s property.

Landowners affected by the route will be compensated as part of the Greenway Code for land acquisition and developing new greenways.

However, Mr Loftus said that landowners should not accept this code, which was agreed between the farming organisations and TII.

“RIO will be advising these landowners to seek a judicial review on this matter and to prepare to apply for a High Court injunction to stop this land grab should that be necessary,” stated Mr Loftus.

“RIO does not recognise the Greenway Code. This code was agreed without any consultation with the general public.

“They allowed permissive access which was a consultative process between the County Council and landowners to be taken off the table. This was replaced by TII being allowed to draw up their preferred computerised route for any particular greenway anywhere.

“This is then presented to the affected landowners on a one-to-one basis which is outlined in the Greenway Code. I would advise Mr Flynn to read it. This is then used as means of divide and conquer.”

Mr Loftus continued:  “I am calling on the affected landowners here, to not under any circumstance engage with TII under these conditions. Greenways affect communities as a whole, so the only means of consultation is with the whole community. This greenway will set a precedent for the future of greenways and how they will affect communities in rural Ireland in the future. We must be prepared to test the validity and the legality of the Greenway Code regarding the infringement of property rights.”

He added that a fund should be set up to ‘fight this gross injustice’.