‘Nimbyism’ and ‘selfishness’ in Mayo communities holding back development – Flynn

A WESTPORT councillor has claimed that ‘nimbyism’ has never been as strong in Ireland and selfishness in communities is holding back development.

Fine Gael councillor Peter Flynn made the comments during the monthly meeting of the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District during a discussion on the development of Greenways and landowners allowing access for them.

Cllr Flynn commented that looking back, the development of the Great Western Greenway was ‘near on miraculous’ and does not believe it would happen now.

“I think it was a different point in time where I think people were not as selfish in so many ways to be honest with you. I think as a society we were not as wealthy and affluent and it is not just greenways but in general people are becoming more selfish and all about how it impacts on themselves.

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“Nimbyism [Not in my back yard] has never been stronger in Ireland. Everyone talks about a housing crisis but yet every single time we put in a development of any note the ones to object are the ones next door to it. If it is a road we are talking about we will have the same situation as we will with any type of infrastructure where people just don’t want anything near them and want it contained in some other location. It is fine in someone else’s back yard but not in mine,” he said.

Cllr Flynn cited a 3km greenway between Murrisk and Bertra as an example of a project which he says was granted planning in 2017 and has yet to be completed due to local objections. He claimed that developing greenways using permissive access will no longer work because of selfishness.

A section of cycleway along the road from Murrisk to Bertra

“As much as I would love to say permissive access is the way to go, unfortunately from my experience, as a society our viewpoint has changed and we have become very insular and selfish and we are all about nimbyism. As long as we continue down the road of that then as a county we will go backwards.

“If we decide to go back to permissive access we might as well close down the notion of developing greenways in Mayo because it is not going to happen.”

Proposed route

CLLR Flynn is the only Westport-based councillor to speak out in favour of the proposed route for the Belclare to Murrisk Greenway and said that councillors will have to make a serious decision on it in the coming months.

“We are at a crucial point in our lives as elected representatives. We have to figure out if we go down the road of permissive access and close off greenways in Mayo. By and large let’s do it by agreement but unfortunately if there is one or two people who will block it then we need to consider whether we look at the greater good or the possibility of appeasing two or three people. That is the decision we will have to make very soon in relation to Murrisk.

“If we are to continue down into Achill and into Erris and the Ceide coast then we have very big decisions to make and we cannot bury our heads in the sand any longer. Permissive access is not working and sadly will not work in my view,” he commented.

However, Louisburgh-based Independent Ireland councillor Chris Maxwell said that everyone is in favour of a greenway to Murrisk but it will have to come along the main Westport to Louisburgh road.

“If we want a greenway to come back there in my lifetime the only way in my opinion can be done is to go back the main road.

“The authorities, the TII, Mayo County Council and anyone else need to wise up to the fact that that is the only way it will happen. We are in the county where the land league was founded and fought for the people of Ireland to own their land and I tell you the people in Clew Bay will not give it up that handy. The authorities will have to wise up now,” he said.