IFA National Environment Chairman Thomas Cooney has described Kerry County Council’s (KCC) decision to plough ahead with their plans to CPO farmland for the development of the proposed South Kerry greenway as ‘the potential death knell for this important project for the rural economy of South Kerry’.
Thomas Cooney said, “KCC’s actions have breached Ministers Griffin’s and Minister Ross’s strategy for the development of greenways. Funding for local authorities is based on the appointment of agronomists to minimise the impact of severance on landowners, as well as developing the support and goodwill of landowners and local communities. KCC is in breach of all of these funding criteria. Therefore, serious questions now exist as to how Minister Ross, Minister Griffin or any of their Department officials can sanction funding to KCC”.
The IFA Environment Chairman said, “KCC’s actions are excessive and unnecessary. Landowners continue to demonstrate a genuine willingness to engage and provide alternative routes on their holdings, which work for their farm businesses and this recreational route. After all, CPOs are not even mentioned in the national greenways strategy”.
Concluding Thomas Cooney said, “Minister Ross and Minister Griffin need to take control of the national development of greenways if they are to happen and make the positive impact on the rural economy, that they can be.”
