‘It’s a bit like being sentenced to the death chamber in America:’ Louth councillors reveal local fear of greenway CPO process

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

There was a war of words at the December meeting of Dundalk Municipal District as councillors battled over calls for a pause on the Dundalk to Carlingford Greenway project.

A heated debate unfolded as councillors from government parties were accused of “talking out of both sides of their mouths” on the controversial plans to build a new greenway linking the Cooley Peninsula to Dundalk.

Cllr. John Reilly said there was a “very emotional reaction” from local people when news of the emerging preferred corridor broke in the last few weeks.

"I think this whole greenway.. it is going to be a bit of a pandora’s box for Louth County Council, and my advice would be to close the box before something comes out of it and bites you.”

He told the meeting that the threat of land bring taken away, especially for farmers was causing “huge distress.”

Despite the ongoing consultation with affected stakeholders, he said “the reality that they could be subject to CPO” (Compulsory Purchase Order) was “a bit like being sentenced to the death chamber in America, you can have all the reviews you like, but all of sudden someone is going to pull the lever on the electric chair.”

He added: “People in Ireland value their land, it is part of their heart, and when you start messing with that you are only going to get into problems. I resent that as an officeholder of the county, I have no say in it?”

Louth County Council, in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is currently progressing the planning and design of the proposed greenway.

But this process, said Cllr. Reilly, has led to a situation where “local people believe councillors have a say in the greenway project, but we don’t.”

"There is something wrong with our democratic system when we are the councillors, but this system is stripping us of any input or vote, and I think we need an urgent review of the code of practice.

"It is not about government parties, John Reilly will talk for himself, and I don’t support this process.”

He added that he was in contact with the Minister’s office and had “voiced my opposition very strongly. I certainly did not mince my words.”

Cllr. Andrea McKevitt had submitted a motion to the council meeting, calling for a pause to the project’s development, given the expected review of the code of practice for greenways.

She added that two greenways in other parts of the country, including Sligo, similar greenway projects have been paused.

Cllr. Maeve Yore said the project had just reached step three of ten, adding that the government had only funded it up to the planning stage.

"Louth County Council and us as elected representatives, have no power or vote to pause any project, any greenway, and we can only abide by current legislation and codes of practice.”

She added that the CPO of lands is “the absolute last resort of any local authority,” and that all major infrastructure projects are dependent on government funding.

"Regardless of whether this motion has passed, it will have no impact in relation to changing the current national guidelines and code of practice etc. Therefore I will bot be supporting it.”

Cllr. Emma Coffey told the meeting that from a national point of view there was nothing to stop Louth County Council pausing the greenway project.

"Two county councils have already paused the process because of the review of the codes of practice, and I think this is the sensible approach to it.”

She added that in the current development plan in Louth there is nothing preventing the council from putting a pause on the process.

Sinn Fein Councillor Antoin Watters told councillors “you would know Christmas is upon us, it is pantomime season with the commentary on this, it is as clear as mud, from our government representatives.”

He added: “We have local councillors and TDs saying it is going to be voted as part of a Part 8. That is misinforming the electorate.”

"I have received so many emails from people who are holding out, waiting on this meeting tonight, and how this vote is going to go.”

But, he stressed: “The TII and the government are funding this project.”

He said the Minister had been in the border area in September for the official launch of the Carlingford to Omeath greenway.

"But were there concerns raised then with the Minister by the elected reps, was there a meeting organised?”

He called for an amendment to the motion, which should also involve the council writing to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Ministers involved.

Cllr. Watters said he had invited them to visit the north Louth area and meet with the elected reps and stakeholders affected.

"We need to be really clear here with the electorate, as you can’t talk out of one side of your mouth to me and then with the other side to someone else.”

Cllr. Marianne Butler, who has spoken at previous meetings on the benefits of greenways, said she would not be supporting the motion, and hoped “my view on this will be respected, and that I won’t be demonised or vilified for having that particular perspective.”

She added: “I am very proud that we had one of the first greenways in Ireland here in this county, from Carlingford to Omeath, and we should rightly be proud of that.”

Cllr. Butler added that it wouldn’t be appropriate to block CPOs from ever being used, but that they “should only be the last resort,” and that voluntary agreements were always the priority.

The greenway, she felt, is “the solution to a lot of the problems we hear raised at this council” from “the traffic chaos caused by people trying to get to Templetown beach on a summer day” and the traffic issues at Bush Post Primary School.

"I really see it as way of giving young people their independence to go safely on their bikes, and for people with disabilities to access this area.”

She called on the councillors to “show leadership” by organising a visit to one of the more modern greenways in Ireland, which is in Tralee, County Kerry.

"We should talk to people there, and ask them what the issues were with that particular greenway, and how they overcame those issues, the accommodations that were made, and find out if are they dealing with anti-social behaviour.”

She added “real concerns” about the views held by the public on the council’s role in the project “and that anything we do or say here tonight is going to matter.”

"Unfortunately we are not decision makers,” said Cllr. Butler. “But we can be leaders, and I would love to see councillors visit another greenway project in Ireland to see how they overcame the problems, as there is huge benefits to be gained.”

Cllr. Sean Kelly agreed that “everyone should be respected for the views”, and he called for councillors to “put party politics aside in dealing with this issue.”

"We all need to work together. The people of the Cooley Peninsula are scared, they are emotional, they are suffering from severe anxiety over this,” said Cllr. Kelly.

He said Cllr. McKevitt had suggested in her motion that the council write to the TII and the government Ministers on it.

He added that the code of practice was “clearly an interpretive document” as two other councils had interpreted it by way of pausing their greenway projects.

Cllr. Shane McGuinness said he agreed councillors “need to work together on this” adding that he would support the motion.

He said the IFA was totally against the use of CPOs for greenways as they are an amenity facility, and not essential public infrastructure, such as national roads or power lines.

"This is a fundamental point, if people are giving away their land it needs to be done on a voluntary basis.”

"The thing that baffles me about this greenway is that seventy per cent of it is along the main road. I don’t know anyone who would want to walk their children along the side of a road. There must be some reason why it is not going along the coast, which is where it should be going.”

He added Dundalk south had “no greenways and no walkways” whereas the Cooley Peninsula had over twenty walkways and paths.

Cllr. Ciaran Fisher began by saying “I do want this greenway to work, but it is a question of at what cost. We all got those very emotive emails coming in, and it is obviously a very emotional issue.”

He questioned the merit of proposing a pause to the project “Are we not just giving these people a stay of execution? I think it is false hope we are offering.”

He said councillors “need to get the message out there that we cannot stop this project, and also to let people know that we are only thirty percent through the process at this stage.”

He added: “I won’t be supporting this motion, as I don’t want to be offering people the mirage in the desert. As for the review, I don’t really see the government moving away from CPOs.”

Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Robbie Nash, said he understood all of the points of view in the chamber, adding: “I would like a greenway, but I think it is in the wrong place.”

"I hear that we are saying tonight that CPOs are the ‘last chance ranch’ but I can’t see this being done without CPOs.”

He added that people living in rural areas have highlighted how difficult it is for them to secure planning permission to build homes for their own family members “yet we can railroad a greenway right through their land.”

After a lengthy debate, councillors broke to discuss the proposed motion in private.

Despite calls from Cllr. Antoin Watters, seconded by Cllr. Maeve Yore, for the motion to be withdrawn “and not rushed through here tonight, putting out mixed messaging to the people of Cooley” an amended motion, which was put forward by Fianna Fáil Cllr Emma Coffey was only passed when Cathaoirleach Robert Nash used his casting vote.

The motion passed also requested a meeting with TII, the Taoiseach and the Ministers for Agriculture and Transport to discuss pausing the greenway project.