WORK on providing a footpath from Carrigaholt village to Amigo’s Holiday Park is expected to commence construction “early in the New Year”.
An update on the proposed footpath was sought by Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) at a recent sitting of the West Clare Municipal District. Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) seconded his motion.
Senior executive engineer, Alan Kennelly advised that the project “is required to undergo a Section 38 public consultation process. This has been advertised, including in local newspapers, and the closing date for the public consultation is within the next couple of weeks. Environmental reports, including an AA screening have been completed. A design has been prepared and finalised by our colleagues in Road Design. I believe that landowner consultation is either completed or almost completed.
“I hope that we will be in a position to commence this project early in the New Year. The proposed footpath should be of much benefit to the residents of and visitors to Carrigaholt, particularly during the summer,” he added.
Carrigaholt will benefit enormously from the infrastructure, Cllr Keating predicted. “This is great news for Carrigaholt, it is something we’ve been waiting for, for quite a while. The design is done as the engineer said, there might be one signature outstanding but that has been resolved. It is good to see the work will commence in the New Year”.
His mind then turned to other works in Carrigaholt, “hopefully when the footpath is done, we can do the outstanding works on West Street, the rest of the village has been completed”.
Kennelly was hopeful to outcome of the Section 38 process would be discussed with elected members before Christmas. “How do we review the requirement for a Section 38 following recent events when the outcome hasn’t been the most favourable,” Cllr Lynch asked. “Section 38 doesn’t need member approval,” Cllr Shane Talty (FF) flagged with Kennelly confirming, “it is an Executive not a reserved function”.
There are “some concerns locally,” Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) highlighted, “the width of the road is a concern”. She queried if the design factored in such views”. The road will not be made wider, Kennelly advised, “There is drainage involved, there is a large drain on footpath and will be pipe across the road. We haven’t made the road any wider, we don’t want people to speed up”.
