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ICSA WELCOMES PAUSING OF GREENWAY PLANS IN GALWAY/ ROSCOMMON

Oct 29, 2015 | Press Releases | 0 comments

30th October, 2015

ICSA president Patrick Kent has welcomed the decision of Minister Pascal Donohoe to pause the plans for a Greenway cycle route through farmland in Galway and Roscommon for the time being.

“The decision demonstrates that any project of this nature needs to be developed with the support of local landowners and that there must be respect for the legitimate worries of farmers.  This is a vindication of people power in the region where farmers standing together have achieved a result.”

However, Mr Kent said that the Minister remains committed to the objective of a coast to coast cycle route.  “Farmers are not against this objective per se but it is now clear that any future plans need to be teased out through a proper consultation process with landowners first and foremost.  The mistake that has been made is that a top-down approach was taken with the employment of expensive outside consultants who were operating on the basis of maps and theory but who had little regard for local communities.”

“Governments need to recognise that tourism projects can only be successful with the goodwill of those most directly affected.  It is a profound mistake to think that the will of local communities can be trampled upon and ICSA hopes that this lesson will be learned for any future plans.”

ICSA has fully supported the local farmers on this issue over the past twelve months and is committed to representing their interests in any future proposals for cycle routes in the west or anywhere else.  Mr Kent said that ICSA national representatives attended ten meetings on this issue which reflected the association’s concerns for the rights of farmers in Galway and Roscommon.  He added that ICSA would remain vigilant and he added that while this result was good news in the short-term, local farmers would have to continue to stand together if and when the plans are resurrected. 

He paid tribute to the efforts of ICSA sheep chairman John Brooks as well as Galway ICSA chairman Pat Loughnane and Roscommon ICSA chairman Ger Grehan.   He said that their work along with local farmers such as Adrian Kelly was vital to the results achieved so far.

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