The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has raised concerns about the ongoing funding of the Greenway Programme, questioning the government’s commitment to spending €360m annually on walk and cycle ways.
INHFA Vice-President John Joe Fitzgerald is skeptical about the usage of greenways, citing a decrease in numbers on prominent paths like the Great Western Greenway in Mayo, and suggests a cost-benefit analysis be conducted to evaluate the program’s effectiveness.
Fitzgerald also expresses reservations about County Councils’ approach to acquiring land for Greenways, highlighting pressure on local residents to consent to routes that may impact their farming enterprise, privacy, and access to homes and businesses.
He stresses the need for better engagement with landowners and communities by County Councils when proposing new Greenway projects, advocating for active and ongoing communication
Mr Fitzgerald said “it is reasonable to ask who is going to be using them especially when we see the dramatic fall in numbers on prominent greenways such as the Great Western Greenway in Mayo. While hotel availability has been cited as a possible factor in the falling numbers we should also recognise that there is a ceiling on the number of people that will partake in this activity and consequently the offering should acknowledge this fact. It is vital that the Government recognise that their Greenway ambitions could be running out of steam and maybe the funding allocated here could deliver better outcomes if spent on our national road network or other projects. On this basis we are asking that the Government carries out a cost benefit analysis on the Greenway Programme prior to the start-up of any new projects. We have seen landowners threatened with the possibility of CPOs and guilt-tripping people with the line that this will be good for the community and do they really want to hold up progress.”
