Minister for Transport Shane Ross has indicated he will soon be lifting the "pause button" on the Galway and Roscommon section of the Galway to Dublin off-road cycle route, known as the Galway-to-Dublin Greenway, saying he wants "to ensure it will go ahead soon".

Speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday, the minister said, "the time for pausing is over".

"There was a pause called for and it was probably a good and sensible decision at the time. However, I am not familiar with the actual detail of the arguments between the various landowners and others in the area, but I will make an effort to see to it that they will put their heads together once again in order that we make a serious and energetic attempt to open the greenway with a great deal more speed."

Objections

A decision to halt work on the Galway and Roscommon sections of the Greenway was made by former Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe in October 2015, following the publication of a report by Transport Infrastructure Ireland which found there were strong objections from farmers and landowners to the project.

Opposition was strongest in Co Galway, where the Greenway would have cut through mainly private farmland, peatlands and forestry. Consultations in 2015 with around 20% of the 194 landowners along the route corridor between Galway city and Ballinasloe found that 63% would object to it, while only 27% would accommodate it.

Concerns expressed by farmers included farm severance and loss of land, disruption to farming operations and loss of farm income. This was closely followed by concerns about security, with some of the proposals resulting in having the cycleway less than 200m from farmers’ yards.

There was less opposition to the route in Co Roscommon where about 40% of the route would be on publicly-owned lands.

These sections would provide a multi-day cycling experience which would be attractive to visitors from home and overseas

Minister Ross acknowledged the better reception to the project from Co Roscommon landowners, and said that in light of this he hopes his department "will reach a stage soon where there is support to move froward with this element of the project", effectively in isolation to the Galway section of the route.

However, he added that in the meantime he will examine potential funding options to deliver the sections of the Galway to Dublin Greenway in counties Kildare and Meath that have planning permission in place and may be progressed quickly.

The completion of these sections would allow for the provision of a fully off-road greenway from Maynooth to Athlone.

"These sections, combined with the 26 km Mullingar to Abbeyshrule greenway, would provide a multi-day cycling experience which would be attractive to visitors from home and overseas", the minister said.

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