Letterkenny councillors ‘were not aware’ of overnight Ballyraine tree cutting

Cllr Ciaran Brogan has said council members “were not aware” of a controversial tree cutting in Letterkenny.

A 90-year-old oak sessile tree was cut down in Ballyraine last night to make way for a cycle lane as part of Active Travel works. This is despite opposition from local residents and a campaign to save the tree.

Cllr Brogan, Cathaoirleach of Letterkenny-Milford MD, said that cutting the tree overnight in the name of the council was “wrong in so many ways”.

A petition for the tree gathered in the region of 1,650 signatures since last October; however, last night, the oak was removed between Ballyraine Park and Orchard Grove.

Cllr Brogan shared a statement saying: “Just for clarification, we as elected representatives of the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District were not aware of tree cutting that took place in Ballyraine last night.

“To go to these types of work in the dark of night in the name of Donegal County Council is wrong in so many ways, whoever initiated this type of action is not helping the good work we all worked hard to achieve in this area.

“If proper procedures were followed and the public consultation process, then (NRDO) would not have to carry out this act in the middle of the night. Local authorities need to assure the public of their concerns being properly addressed, considering the very positive relationship we have built up down through the years as a council with community groups, residents association and tidy town team enhancing our local facilities and amenities in this area.

“We had a roads workshop last Monday and as part of that there was a verbal briefing from the National Roads Design Office (NRDO) about how they intended to proceed with the Active Travel scheme from The Polestar roundabout to The Creamery Roundabout and the proposed changes to the original proposal.

“My position on the current proposal for the active travel scheme in this area is widely known for over a year now, as I have continually opposed it, and challenged it publicly at our meetings and the process involved, so I requested two things at our meeting last week and this was accepted.

“That we as elected representatives would get an updated written report on the current situation of this scheme and proposed changes and amendments going forward. That the business and residents would be met so that they were all up to speed with the current position and fully informed of the scheme moving forward.

“We haven’t as yet received the written report but I have submitted a question to MD for Tuesday next. I look forward to this report.”