Mayo councillors want Sligo U-turn on WRC Greenway
Councillors want Sligo counterparts to rescind 'ridiculous' Greenway proposal
Mayo councillors have called on their counterparts in Sligo to rescind the 'ridiculous' proposal to make the disused railway alignment between Bellaghy and Collooney available for the development of the Sligo Greenway.
The railway company had previously opposed putting the greenway on the rail alignment, arguing that the route should be protected for the possible future restoration of rail services.
The proposal received the backing of the Minister of Transport but the decision was met with dismay from Mayo councillors who passed a motion calling for their counterparts in Sligo to reject the proposal.
Fianna Fáil party whip, Cllr Damien Ryan raised the matter at yesterday's monthly meeting of Mayo County Council where he called on his fellow councillors to back him in reaffirming their commitment for the opening of the Western Rail Corridor from Claremorris to Sligo town.
“I want to reaffirm our commitment to preserve that rail corridor that runs right through our county. I welcome the delivery [of the railline from Athenry] into Claremorris with a view of connecting with the airport and onto the county boundary at the earliest opportunity and hopefully onto Sligo.
“In 2026 you cannot have a situation where you don't have that connectivity. Sligo and Galway should be connected by rail and it should have been done many years ago,” he said.
Economic benefits
The Ballinrobe-based councillor said he was not against the development of greenways but they cannot be developed at the expense of infrastructure that will bring economic benefits to the county.
“The greenways should not be to the detriment of that corridor. The decision is clearly a cycle track or 21st century infrastructure and rolling stock and that is the difference and that is what should be the ask and we should not sell ourselves short,” he added.
His proposal which was unanimously supported by the council chamber called on the national government and all national and local representatives in Sligo to rescind the 'ridiculous request for the greenway on the rail line from Bellaghy to Collooney'.
He also called on Iarnrod Éireann to support Mayo County Council's request for the development of the line to Sligo in order for the region to develop and prosper.
It was reported that An Taoiseach Micheál Martin is fully supportive of the development of the Sligo Greenway along the disused rail line and called on Iarnród Éireann to change their position on the use of the track for a greenway.
Sinn Féin councillor Gerry Murray said that people in the west are astonished by the position taken by the Taoiseach but felt he is out of touch with the view of people and businesses in the region.
“I have no doubt that this decision will be reversed because he [Taoiseach] is unaware of the momentum coming out of Sligo, from the hospital and third level colleges and the multinationals who want to move their stock down the western rail corridor to Foynes Port or to Waterford.
“Despite his intervention, what he is trying to do will take time and leaders change. He has grossly underestimated the huge demand in Sligo for this critical piece of infrastructure going all the way to Sligo town. They will not allow a situation where there railway will stop in Claremorris and not stop in Sligo.
“We have to call on the Government to immediately reverse this decision if they are serious about balanced regional development,” he said.
The Charletown-based councillor also praised the work of the late economist and Mayo News columnist John Bradley whose report on the Western Rail Corridor debunked an Iarnrod Éireann commissioned report to the Department of Transport in 2021 which concluded there was no justification for restoring the disused railway line from Athenry to Claremorris.
Independent councillor Richard Finn, who is the vice chair of the Western inter-county railway committee also supported Cllr Ryan's proposal and questioned 'what progressive thinking was in Sligo’ to want a greenway on the route of a railway line.
Full support
“If we are to see the benefits of the opening up of Athenry to Claremorris, what is needed is to join up the two main cities in the west of Ireland and we want to put the message out that in Mayo we are in full support of our section of the railway line to Charlestown. That is important and nobody will interfere with that.
“I don't understand how a few councillors in Sligo can go against such an infrastructure that is there and will cost €1 billion to replace. If they want a greenway, let them find one side by side with the railway but that railway is infrastructure that cannot be taken up,” he said.
Fellow Independent councillor Patsy O'Brien said that Mayo councillors needed to be united in their support of the Western Rail Corridor and claimed that the late An tAthair Micheál MacGreil who campaigned for its reopening would be 'turning in his grave' at the recent announcement.
He expressed disappointment to think that public representatives would lobby for a greenway over a railway line and that a delegation from Mayo should meet the Minister of Transport and the Taoiseach 'to show their dismay' at the greenway proposal.