*It is hoped a planning application will be lodged next year.
A FOUR YEAR TIMEFRAME and cost of €25m has been earmarked for the Ennis to Ennistymon section of the West Clare Railway Greenway.
Multiple design options have been sketched out, the second public consultation phase ran from February 10th to March 3rd where the various options were detailed. Events were held in Ennistymon, Ennis and Corofin at the end of February with large numbers in attendance.
Officials working on the ambitious project hope to submit a planning application by the summer of 2024. In the scenario where consent is given, funding is available and no challenges are made to the decision, construction would commence in early 2026 with a finish period of summer 2028.
Seán Lenihan, senior engineer in the project management office of Clare County Council is one of the key persons involved in the project. He outlined, “the estimated cost for this particular section is expected to be in the order of €25m”.
Lenihan advised, “In recent weeks, we were allocated just over €2.1m for the various Greenway proposals in Clare by the TII with €300k ringfenced specifically to advance the Ennis to Ennistymon Section in the year ahead”.
He was pleased with the initial progress on the Ennis to Ennistymon section. Roughan O’Donovan Consulting Engineers are the technical advisors for this particular phase. “They are working through the various stages of design in accordance with the Code of Best Practice as agreed by the Government and the main Farming Representative Bodies,” he explained. Lenihan said the project team would review the feedback from the public consultation “and use it to inform the preliminary design and route selection”.
An update had been sought by Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) at the March meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. He has also requested a revision to include the section from Corrovorrin to Lees Rd which would add between €250,000 to €300,000 to the total bill. He stated, “Since 2004, Clare County Council has been advocating for greater walking trails” and acknowledged the attempted launch of the Shannon Trails programme by Shannon Development in 2007.
Flynn suggested than an updated EarthRoutes report be submitted by the Ennis MD to the project team for the Greenway.
This project needs to be embraced, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) commented. “I am very supportive of the Greenway concept, I believe it will be very beneficial for the entire county. It is quite staggering that we’re talking millions of a difference in a couple of years”.
“Greenways are the future,” declared Cllr Pat Daly (FF). “Micheál Martin said on the radio about two years ago that there would be millions coming for Greenways and I hope it happens,” he said while expressing surprise that the project was not moving quicker. He recalled a recent trip to Mayo “and it was hopping in Westport”, the level of activity largely influenced by their Greenway, Daly remarked.
Similarly Cllr Mary Howard (FG) wished for the pace of the project to be swifter. “We’ve been hearing about it for a long time, I would like to see it progress further”.
