*The Greenway is to be located on sections of the old West Clare Railway. Photograph: John Moylan
WEST CLARE’s Greenway has gone off track with little momentum exerted to power the project forward.
Several bumps have been encountered along the track for the West Clare Greenway which officials within Clare County Council had initially targeted an opening of 2025 for.
However the project which was first announced in 2019 has recorded little progress. When local authority officials spoke of their aspiration of a 2025 opening five years ago, Cllr Shane Talty (FF) queried if it was not more accurate to say that the project completion was at least a decade away.
Estimates initially indicated that the project would surpass €80m in costs. The 85km route is split into four sections, Kilrush to Kilkee, Ennis to Ennistymon, Ennistymon to Miltown Malbay and Miltown Malbay to Moyasta.
In April of this year, a funding application for the Ennistymon to Moyasta section of the Greenway was not approved by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). “I have grave concerns for the development of the Greenway project from Ennistymon to Miltown Malbay and Miltown Malbay to Moyasta North,” Clare TD, Joe Cooney (FG) stated at the time.
TII’s funding allocation for this year did provide €850,000 for the progression of the Kilrush to Kilkee section and earmarked €500,000 for the Ennis to Ennistymon section.
Meetings with affected landowners for the Kilrush to Kilkee section which were scheduled to take place in November did not proceed. The negotiations according to Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) are “a very sensitive issue”.
Raising the matter before the County Council this month, Cllr McInerney appealed to the top table to provide an update on the major project. “Landowners impacted by the project were invited to meet with the liaison team for a meeting at the end of November, it is a very sensitive issue”.
Despite having every seat full at the top table, there was none of the Council’s management team able to give an update on where the project was currently at. Director of Service Transportation, Climate Action, Recreation, Environment & Emergency Services, Carmel Kirby stated, “Alan Farrell is dealing with it, there is a meeting with landowners that will be a very important part of the process”.
Although its importance was stressed, the meeting has yet to take place, Cllr McInerney advised the top table, “The meeting was due for the end of November but it hasn’t happened yet”.
Council sources have said draft alignment and accommodation drawings have been shared and reviewed with affected landowners for Section 1. Futher discussions are to take place with landowners. Once drawings are finalised, the next step will move to the compensation process.
In its monthly management report for December, Clare County Council outlined that for the Kilrush to Kilkee section, they are “advancing the preparation of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and the Natura Impact Statement (NIS). Work is also ongoing to finalise the general arrangement and land acquisition drawings”.
Regarding Section 2 which is from Ennis to Ennistymon, “work continues on the options selections report,” the local authority advised.
Former senior engineer, Seán Lenihan stated in November 2020 that he expected that the pilot phase of the project would be delivered by 2025 and the entire scheme by 2029.
