Footpath needs to be complete from caravan park to Lough Rynn

Cllr Sean McGowan asked Director of Services, Justin Fannon, to examine what streams of funding are available to fully complete the public lighting from Mohill, to link up with the new footpath and lighting that was developed recently and serves the "extremely busy caravan park at Lough Rinn. A part of this road from Mohill currently has no public lighting and it is dangerous for the many pedestrians using the footpath at night time."

Cllr McGowan said it was "extremely dark" and added that "it's a busy road" and said some form of funding needs to be identified to carry out the project. 

Cllr Enda Stenson agreed stating that "the gap has got to be closed for people walking; there's no point having a footpath if we leave that gap there."

Cllr Thomas Mulligan supported the motion saying the towpath "badly needs a major investment" and "with the proposed development at Lough Rinn, not only at the hotel but our own development with the rowing centre, it's a time we do a major improvement on that towpath" adding that he felt, "we're going to have to buy a strip of land to do something there."

Cllr Stenson said better connectivity is needed between the Rinn area and town, "wider footpaths, cyclepath, where people can move freely; the funding has got to be got because we've put huge investment into the road facility in particular."

Cllr Des Guckian also supported the motion. 

A report by the Economic Development section said that Leitrim County Council does not have the resources to provide public lighting outside the urban speed limits unless funding assistance has been secured under specific safety or community grants. Potential funding streams to enable public lighting on the stretch of footpath currently not lit up outside Mohill can be examined.

This ability to access potential funding streams for this lighting project must be seen in the context of both the Government's and Leitrim County Council's requirement to achieve overall energy reduction targets by 2030 and the need to be consistent with the overall aims and objectives of both the national the impending Leitrim Climate Action Plan.