Farmers will take to the streets of Dublin in two weeks' time to highlight growing opposition to the use of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) for the delivery of greenway projects.
A demonstration is scheduled to take place outside the Dáil on Wednesday, 12 November, with up to 17 local groups that are opposed to particular greenway initiatives represented.
The protest is being organised by the National Greenways Action Association (NGAA) and coincides with a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Transport Committee where the issue of greenways is to be discussed.
Cleona O’Shea of NGAA said she hoped the presentations to the Oireachtas committee would highlight the inappropriateness and unfairness of using CPOs to secure lands for greenways.
“We want to get rid of CPOs for greenways,” O’Shea told the Irish Farmers Journal.
“This is non-essential infrastructure, these greenways are recreational and we’ll be arguing that CPOs should not be used - or threatened to be used - to coerce landowners into providing land for them,” she said.
“Nobody is going to be cycling through my place to go to work or to school or to a hospital appointment,” said O’Shea who farms outside Fermoy.
“We’re not against greenways but we’re opposed to the process being used to deliver them,” she insisted.
The O’Shea family farm is located outside Fermoy along the route of the proposed greenway from Dungarvan to Mallow.
She said the proposed route will take just two acres of the farm, but will effectively cut the holding in two.
Farmers say they are not opposed to greenways but they are against the use of CPOs to acquire the land for them.
O’Shea maintained her dealings with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Cork Co Council mirrored the experiences of land owners right around the country.
TII and the various local authorities were rarely interested in fully engaging with proposals for alternate routes, she said.
“They have the route decided on before the consultation process starts,” she claimed.
“The only reason TII and the local authorities are progressing with plans for greenways from Cork to Kinsale, and in Cooley, where there is total opposition from landowners, is because they know they can CPO the land,” O’Shea claimed.
Along with the NGAA, the Oireachtas committee on 12 November will hear presentations from TII, IFA and representatives of the Waterford to Dungarvan greenway.
Farmers will take to the streets of Dublin in two weeks' time to highlight growing opposition to the use of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) for the delivery of greenway projects.
A demonstration is scheduled to take place outside the Dáil on Wednesday, 12 November, with up to 17 local groups that are opposed to particular greenway initiatives represented.
The protest is being organised by the National Greenways Action Association (NGAA) and coincides with a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Transport Committee where the issue of greenways is to be discussed.
Cleona O’Shea of NGAA said she hoped the presentations to the Oireachtas committee would highlight the inappropriateness and unfairness of using CPOs to secure lands for greenways.
“We want to get rid of CPOs for greenways,” O’Shea told the Irish Farmers Journal.
“This is non-essential infrastructure, these greenways are recreational and we’ll be arguing that CPOs should not be used - or threatened to be used - to coerce landowners into providing land for them,” she said.
“Nobody is going to be cycling through my place to go to work or to school or to a hospital appointment,” said O’Shea who farms outside Fermoy.
“We’re not against greenways but we’re opposed to the process being used to deliver them,” she insisted.
The O’Shea family farm is located outside Fermoy along the route of the proposed greenway from Dungarvan to Mallow.
She said the proposed route will take just two acres of the farm, but will effectively cut the holding in two.
Farmers say they are not opposed to greenways but they are against the use of CPOs to acquire the land for them.
O’Shea maintained her dealings with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Cork Co Council mirrored the experiences of land owners right around the country.
TII and the various local authorities were rarely interested in fully engaging with proposals for alternate routes, she said.
“They have the route decided on before the consultation process starts,” she claimed.
“The only reason TII and the local authorities are progressing with plans for greenways from Cork to Kinsale, and in Cooley, where there is total opposition from landowners, is because they know they can CPO the land,” O’Shea claimed.
Along with the NGAA, the Oireachtas committee on 12 November will hear presentations from TII, IFA and representatives of the Waterford to Dungarvan greenway.
SHARING OPTIONS