Anger at decision to omit Navan to Kingscourt Greenway from Govt funding

The Navan to Kingscourt Greenway project received a set back last week with the Department of Transport's failure to include it in a €64million tranche of funding for greenway projects nationally.

The Boyne Valley to Lakeland Greenway has been shovel ready for four years, according to Cllr Eugene Cassidy who said he was very disappointed that the project had been overlooked.

“It is very disappointing that the Department of Transport has overlooked us yet again.

“We have been shovel ready for about four years, there are no land issues along the route since it is in ownership of CIE and has been signed over to Meath County Council.

“Yet the Department allocated millions of euros to greenways that have land disputes along them, and some of these greenways haven't even got planning permission yet.

“Numerous applications were made to the Department for funding but to no avail.” Cllr Cassidy said that luckily there are other funding sources.

“Meath County Council has applied for funding from the Department of Rural Affairs for funding for the entire length of the greenway under the RDF scheme and we have also a application under the Outdoor Recreation Scheme for funding for the Castletown to Nobber phase,” he said.

“Funding has been secured from other sources that are not as lucrative as the Department of Transport.

“We have already completed the Nobber and Castletown loop walks which have been an outstanding success, used by young and old from far and near and availed of by local schools for PE classes .

“Meath County Council have built these walking loops for a fraction of the cost of the money allocated by the Department to greenways around the country ... and still they refuse to fund us!” Work on the Navan/Wilkinstown stretch of the Greenway will be starting soon and completed by early summer.

Previous studies have suggested that a Greenway from Navan to Kingscourt could bring a potential 150,000 tourists into this region,

Cllr Cassidy said the new program for Government has seen a switch in emphasis from the development of greenway projects solely for tourism reasons to a greater focus on every day cycling and walking

“It really annoys and disgusts me that the Department of Transport have in the past and continues to ignore the Boynevalley to Lakelands Greenway. We will prove them wrong and when this greenway is completed it will be up there with the best of them.

“Our beautiful rolling landscape, our old and mature trees and hedges will make this greenway an enjoyable and memorable experience for all it users for generations to come, as I knew it would all them years ago.”

Sinn Féin's Darren O'Rourke has expressed disappointment that Meath has been excluded from a €63.5m fund for Greenway projects. The Meath East TD is the party's spokesperson on Climate Action, Communications Networks and Transport.

"The €63.5m allocation of funding for greenway projects is very welcome but it is quite incredible that Co. Meath has been overlooked, yet again, when it comes to central funding.

"The funding allocation is the highest ever but still Meath did not make the cut. This is despite the fact that we have a number of greenway projects ready to go or almost ready to go. I think particularly of the Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway and the Boyne Greenway. These are projects that have the potential to transform the county, not only for visiting tourists, but for local residents. That they have been excluded from this round of funding is very disappointing.