The Oireachtas petitions committee yesterday heard the  witness presentation by the Department of Transport in response to the petition signed by 26,000 people asking for a greenway on the closed railway from Athenry to Collooney until such time as  a railway might be possible.  Firstly  a huge thank you on behalf of the campaign to #MarianHarkinTD for hosting us at the Dail today and her unrelenting support to the campaign in particular for the clarity of her position on behalf of  constituents in the North West who want to see this happen, emphasising the point that the idea of a greenway now on the route does not harm any aspiration for a railway in future years, a position the Department fully supports.  Senator Eugene Murphy who also attended was extremely supportive of her stance and he found it incredulous that Mayo County Council  has built into the county plan a clause that actually blocks the council from even considering this as an idea.   The position of Mayo County Council and the MTO9 clause which effectively blocks the greenway in Mayo was a major talking point.  The Department of Transport pointed out that they had made a submission on the Mayo county plan (2022/28) supporting a greenway and repositioning the closed railway corridor as a “Transport Corridor” , it is pretty clear now that the Department would be more than happy to fund a greenway option in Mayo but they had to point out that the application for funding has to come from the Council, in effect Mayo County Council is refusing the opportunity to invest in East Mayo and is trying  to override national policy on the route north of Claremorris.  The fact north of Claremorris is not included as a potential railway in the draft all island (Ireland) rail strategy is something #Mayocountycouncil seems to want to ignore.  There were interesting comments made by Pat Buckley TD acting as chair today about his experience in Cork and the closed railway from Middleton to Youghal a former railway that is now a greenway and is a phenomenal success.  Don’t forget folks that MTO9 was supported in particular by Cllr Neil Cruise and Cllr Gerry Murray, both Cllrs seeking re-election next both oppose the greenway.  SF candidates oppose the greenway so take this into consideration next Friday!

So far we have two committments from FF Adrian Forkan and FG Antoinette Peyton to keep raising the issue with the council and seek the removal of the clause in the county plan stopping the greenway. MTO9 has to go.

In effect we have two councillors in the Swinford ED who were instrumental in creating a clause in the county plan that blocks any chance of the East Mayo Greenway from happening, that is the message we need to take from todays meeting.

Why put these people back in office when they ride roughshod over the will of the people?