€1.5m Grant For SLNCR Greenway Project for Sligo and Leitrim
The agreement between the local authorities of Sligo and Leitrim to collaborate on the SLNCR Greenway Project has been welcomed by Cllr Declan Bree.
While a Section 85 agreement between the two council’s was made last July, an amendment was brought for approval to the latest meeting of Sligo County Council on Monday. At this point, Cllr Bree highlighted the €1.5m grant aid that has already been allocated to advance the planned Sligo Leitrim Northern Counties Railway (SLNCR) Greenway.
“The development of the Greenway, along the old rail route connecting Collooney, with Ballintogher, Dromahair, Glenfarne, Blacklion and Enniskillen, will have a significant economic benefit for the entire region,” he said.
“A cost benefit analysis carried out a number of years ago indicated that the completed Greenway would boost spending in the region by almost €7 million in the first year. I expect that figure will have significantly increased in the intervening period.
“Given the fact that it is a cross border Greenway with 18 kilometres of the route located in Fermanagh, obviously adds to the significance and importance of the project. “The Taoiseach has already confirmed that €500 million has been earmarked for shared island projects, and while speaking in the Dáil some time ago he referred to three specific projects – the Narrow Water Bridge, the Ulster Canal and the Sligo-Enniskillen Greenway.
“Hopefully we might see construction work commence on the greenway early next year.
These sentiments were supported by a number of councillors with Cllr Marie Casserly highlighting the development’s potential to bring tourism to the region. Cllr Dara Mulvey stressed the greenways potential not just from a tourism perspective but for health and wellbeing and pointed out that the local campaign supporting the provision of the greenway has received a nomination at Sligo’s 2022 Cathaoirleach Awards.