Mayo councillors call for clarity on Murrisk Greenway decision
Councillors told planning application for final route of Belclare to Murrisk Greenway will go before An Coimisiún Pleanála to decide
West Mayo councillors have called for representatives of the Mayo Roads Design Office to explain the reason why An Coimisiún Pleanála will now be responsible for deciding if the controversial Murrrisk Greenway will get the go-head.
On Friday afternoon, an email with an update on the Belclare to Murrisk Greenway was sent to the seven councillors in the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District which outlined that an application to An Coimisún Pleanaála is the appropriate statutory process to be followed rather than a Part 8 application which will be decided by the local councillors.
Westport-based councillor Brendan Mulroy raised the update at yesterday's monthly meeting of the municipal district where he asked for clarity on why An Coimisún Pleanála will now have the say on the application.
“I was very surprised to receive that email as I presumed that Mayo County Council and the TII would come in and explain to us in detail how the decision was reached. The absence of that and to move it under the table and allow the board [ An Coimisún Pleanála] to deal with it is not very transparent.
"A lot has gone here with the Greenway and it is very contentious and they need to turn up and explain to us how the decision was reached. Everyone deserves to know how this has happened and have clarity so we can move forward. A five or six line email was not satisfactory enough,” he told the meeting.
The Murrisk Greenway project is being developed by Mayo County Council in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The Belclare to Murrisk Greenway is currently at the Options Selection phase which is the second phase of an eight phase process followed by the TII's Project Management Manual. The Options Selection phase is expected to be completed by the end of autumn this year.
The document with the update stated that due to the requirement for an 'Appropriate Assessment' to be carried out and a Natura Impact Statement to be prepared, an application to An Coimisún Pleanaála is the appropriate statutory process to be followed.
Cllr Mulroy's proposal that members of the roads office of Mayo County Council working on the project was supported by his fellow councillors who also expressed surprise by the email. Cllr John O'Malley seconded the proposal for somebody from the Roads Design Office to attend the next meeting saying that it was only right they explain what is happening.
Louisburgh councillor Chris Maxwell said that everyone wants a Greenway to Louisburgh but blamed the TII for causing the 'fiasco' the Belclare to Murrisk section has become.
Cathaoirleach of Westport/Belmullet Municipal District, Cllr Peter Flynn described the email as a 'bolt from the blue' and felt the way the news was communicated to councillors was not satisfactory.
“No matter what side of the fence you have been on, communication has been poor from start to finish and there have been mistakes made. We need to get better at this and be closer to people so landowners and stakeholders know what is happening,” he said.
Cllr Flynn who is the only local councillor to openly support the preferred route option added that it was important that the public realise that the council will now have no say on the final decision regarding the proposed route but called on everyone to work together to ensure there is a Greenway around Clew Bay.
“Lets be all clear nobody around this table will have any influence on the final decision. It has moved and we can debate whether it is right or wrong or anti-democratic but in reality it has gone to An Bord Pleanala and moved to another province quite literally."
The Fine Gael councillor also called on the local media not to publish letters on the Greenway from anyone who doesn't put their name to it.
“If you believe in something strong enough you put your name to it and have the courage and conviction to do that,” he commented.
Heather Gibbons, Senior Executive Engineer with Mayo County Council said the update on the project came following a request from councillors at the last meeting and she will request someone from the roads design office to attend the June meeting.