Mayo councillor slams government interference on Western Rail Corridor
Cllr Patsy O'Briens says Sligo Oireachtas members need to 'have a serious look at what they are doing' for supporting a greenway over the WRC
A MAYO councillor has called on Oireachtas members in Sligo who support a proposed Greenway along the Western Rail Corridor to 'have a serious look at what they are doing'.
In September, Iarnród Éireann confirmed that it has agreed to facilitate a licence arrangement with Sligo County Council for the 35km section of the former Western Rail Corridor for the development of the Sligo Greenway from Collooney to Bellaghy on the Mayo border.
The railway company had previously opposed putting the greenway on the rail alignment, arguing that the route should be protected for the possible future restoration of rail services. However, it emerged that the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien are both supportive of the Greenway proposal.
The charge of mind was met with opposition from politicians in neighbouring counties with Galway and Leitrim County Councils joining Mayo County Council in opposing the proposal.
Independent councillor Patsy O'Brien expressed his frustration at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council that some politicians in Sligo continue to support putting a Greenway on the line of the Western Rail Corridor despite opposition in neighbouring counties.
“I am especially very disappointed that there was government interference in relation to this....and I am calling on the Oireachtas members of government in that area to have a serious look at what they're doing,” he said.
The Robeen-based councillor said that the Sligo councillors would be better off trying to improve the N17 between Tubbercurry and Collooney instead of trying 'to scuttle' the Western Rail Corridor project.
Fellow Independent John O'Malley also came out in support of his comments and said that if a Greenway is developed on the line it will end any hope of the Western Rail Corridor being developed from Claremorris to Collooney.
“I think it's a terrible situation to think that a minister up in Dublin can make a decision for the people down here without looking into it in depth. There's no question about it if anything goes on that track, that's all it'll ever be.
“They're they're talking over two sides of their mouth because they're telling people to use public transport and take cars off the road and then they turn around and want to put a Greenway where there should be a train one,” he said and called on Sligo County Council to reverse the decision to support a Greenway on the line.