Laois Greenway 'waste' irreconcilable with cost of living
Portlaoise to Abbeyleix Greenway plan is 'auction politics'
The viability of a new greenway between Portlaoise and Abbeyleix has been called into question by a local election candidate who says he can't reconcile the 'waste' of public funds involved when the cost of living is so high.
Labour’s Bryan Corrigan said that he has become concerned about what he termed the "auction politics" of FF/FG when it comes to greenway proposals of late.
He gave an example of the proposal for a Greenway between Portlaoise and Abbeyleix recently. A grant of €50,000 was awarded in 2024 to carry out a feasibility study.
Mr Corrigan outlined that some costly infrastructure would be needed.
“One needs to construct a bridge across the M7 four-lane motorway outside tougher wood Portlaoise. I struggle to reconcile the amount of waste, of both public funds and public buy-in it would take at a time when the cost of living is at an all-time high and people are so in need of a multitude of decent public services and affordable housing,” he said.
He believes the proposal is out of touch.
“This proposal was forwarded and supported recently in local government by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. It shows how out of touch the current local government actually are with what is required. It is yet another example of a FF/FG government flip flopping before the local elections,” he said.
Mr Corrigan, while supportive of greenways in general, insisted they must be rational and consideration should be given to their advantages and disadvantages.
A candidate in the Mountmelick and Borris in Ossory Municipal District, he said a Greenway could be merited on the Erkina River between Donaghmore and Durrow to Rathdowney.