*Contracts for designing the Greenway were signed in June 2021.
FUTURE of the Limerick to Scariff Greenway is “in no man’s land”, frustrated elected representatives in East Clare have said.
Landowners who have held meetings with Waterways Ireland regarding the use of their land have not received an update in over a year and a half.
Four years on from the signing of the contracts in June 2021 to design the 43km greenway, little progress appears to be made on the ground in East Clare. Waterways Ireland are the lead body behind the development of the Limerick to Scariff Greenway working in tandem with Limerick City and County Council along with Clare County Council. They are joined by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) on a steering group for the project.
Details on a preferred route have yet to be finalised, the proposed greenway which has been identified as a signature project in the Shannon Tourism Masterplan and would provide a gateway to and from the heart of Limerick City to Lough Derg. It was also anticipated to offer connections to villages such as Clonlara, O’Briensbridge, Killaloe, Ogonelloe and Tuamgraney. The contract for the design of the greenway was signed in June 2021.
In their latest project update, Waterways Ireland said they were in “the options selection phase” of the project and that route options had been developed following the completion of a feasibility report, and community feedback.
Raising the matter before a sitting of the Killaloe Municipal District, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) expressed disappointment that Waterways Ireland failed to attend their meeting. “We were told we had someone at this meeting from Waterways Ireland who apologised, we haven’t had a report from them in the last year”.
Expectation has been building within East Clare that the project would be further down the line. Cllr Hayes said he told officials from Waterways Ireland of his disappointment. “We’re left in no-man’s land on whether the greenway is proceeding, we’re hearing certain sections cannot be traversed, it leaves it wide open to the rumour machine”.
Frustration has been directed to Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF) from landowners. “I’ve been contacted by landowners and people who were engaged with Waterwats Ireland and I haven’t heard anything for a year and a half, they were given maps to say this Greenway could go twenty metres within their front door in some cases”. He added, “For an agency to treat the people of East Clare like this is at the very least unacceptable. There is an onus on them to come out and say what is going on and what is proposed”.
Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe MD, Cllr Pat Burke (FG) reminded the meeting that at a TII briefing, “it was said to us that ESB were over between the O’Briensbridge and Limerick section saying no to the land going between their property”.
He continued, “It is not good enough that we haven’t heard, landowners got maps and believed they’d be putting up a case that they didn’t want the Greenway passing their door and they have heard nothing since. It is disappointing to hear from Waterways Ireland that they were unavailable to attend”.
