Farmers must be consulted on Greenway plans in advance

Concern farmers are being ridden rough-shod over in the rush to deliver greenways was raised at a meeting of Cavan-Belturbet Municipal District last week.

Difficulties such as blocked drains or inadequate investment in fencing are among the primary gripes reported back to councillors by local landowners impacted.

The rumblings of disquiet came after elected members welcomed funding worth €500,000 for the 75km Greenway from Blacklion to Sligo Town.

Separately €175,000 was also awarded to the 26km greenway from the Ulster Canal north of Castle Saunderson, to link with the proposed Cavan-Leitrim Greenway at Belturbet.

The funding will cover the costs of progressing the projects through the statutory stages. It’s hoped that a greenway network in the region will stand as a key tourist attraction and provide an important local amenity also.

“It’s good news,” stated Fianna Fáil’s John Paul Feeley, joined too by Fine Gael’s Peter McVitty, whose initial murmurings of positivity soon turned to a wider problem being experienced.

In respect of the 5.5km recreational trail from Ballyconnell to Bellaheady Bridge, he remarked it was “all well and good” announcing and funding planned greenways, but said there had not been enough consultation with local farmers.

Almost €600,000 was allocated to Waterways Ireland under the Rural Recreation Scheme to deliver a new greenway, which runs primarily along the banks of the Shannon-Erne Waterway.

“If these greenways are to be a success at all it has to be done with farmers’ rights being respected. Farmers can’t be walked over,” said Cllr McVitty, voicing some of the representations made to him in this regard.

He fumed at the standard of fencing installed with “no thorny wire” saying it would only last three to five years.

Cllr McVitty also claimed that workers had blocked drains along the route from fields leading into the canal, and further criticised the type of solar-powered drinkers provided for livestock and their positioning.

“They should have talked to farmers,” continued Cllr McVitty. He even suggested that electric fencing could have been installed, which could have been powered by the solar drinkers.

Cllr Sean Smith (FF) agreed with his west Cavan colleague, and wanted to know who made the decisions, saying: “If money is to be spent it must be done in the interests of everyone.”

Cllr Smith added that farmers had a right to ensure that their livestock was protected.

Cllr Madeleine Argue (FG) also supported the comments made.

Senior Engineer Paul Mulligan, responding on behalf of Cavan County Council,said that such issues raised locally had been directed to the “highest level” within Waterways Ireland at a meeting.

He said that responsibility lay with Waterways Ireland and, similarly, such concerns had been flagged in relation to the development of the 6km recreational trail from Belturbet town to Lock 1 Corraquill around two years ago.

“It’s going to get very difficult to get greenways off the ground if we don’t do them the right way,” interrupted Cllr McVitty, who suggested that farmers would speak to each other on such subjects, and very soon “word would get round”.

A proposal to speak with Waterways Ireland on the issue was proposed and seconded.