Farmers protest overshadows motorway opening

Up to 400 angry farmers including a sizeable local contingent heckled Taoiseach Brian Cowen amid a noisy protest over cuts to the REPS scheme at the official opening of the new €211 million Athlone to Ballinasloe M6 motorway on Thursday last. Cries of 'reverse the cuts' and a chorus of boos, whistles and emergency sirens rang around the site throughout the 30 minute ceremony, as the din of the protestors, drawn from all over Westmeath, Roscommon, Offaly, Leitrim and Galway, certainly made their grievances felt after arriving earlier that morning at the new motorway site flanked by a convoy of tractors, which actually caused miles of a tailback on the approach. On what was meant to be a good news day for the embattled Taoiseach and local politicians, farmers turned the situation on its head completely overshadowing the 19 kilometre motorway opening linking Ballinasloe and Athlone, as each speaker on the day battled gamely to deliver their speeches only to be drowned out by the noise. The new stretch shaves around up to six minutes off the journey between the two towns and is expected to take over 12,300 vehicles per day off the existing N6 single lane carriageway. Furious farmers said closing entry to REPS - worth up to €6,500 a farmer - will devastate their livelihood along with the already sizeable cuts announced to agricultural schemes in last year's budget. "The way we look at it is we can't take any more, it's either do this or pack up our things and go," a clearly exasperated Chairperson of Roscommon IFA Bernard Donoghue told the Westmeath Independent amid a strong garda presence at the peaceful protest. "The Government decision to cut REPS and the Disadvantaged Area will scar rural Ireland. REPS was the most successful scheme ever brought in from Europe at delivering money into rural Ireland, to agri-business and people working in the countryside. Cutting it will decimate rural Ireland and all it will do is put more farmers on the dole," he predicted. Meanwhile, Donal Green from Moore in South Roscommon was one of up 60 local farmers from the parish demonstrating on the day. He said the cuts to REPS will mean a loss of €5,000-€6,000 per year to his income. "This Government has neglected farming and if the cutbacks aren't reversed there will have to be an election. We can't go on the same way we are." Speaking through the noisy scenes during the official road opening ceremony, Roscommon Mayor Tony Ward welcomed the new motorway stretch, which he said will create a safer and quicker journey between the two towns. The scheme involved the construction of 12 bridges and four roundabouts on link roads stretching from south east of Ballinasloe at Tulrush continuing right up to Monksland, west of Athlone. The main contractors were SIAC/Wills JV. He thanked Roscommon County Council, Galway County Council, SIAC and Wills JV, The National Roads Authority which had faced many challenges throughout the project, not least in the archaeological work back in 2006, a process that has given us a "wealth of knowledge" about early life in Ireland. Mayor Ward also paid tribute to the landowners, mention of which drew loud boos from the assembled crowd. Chairperson of the NRA Peter Malone declared the opening "a great day for Ireland" predicting that early next year motorists will be able to drive from Dublin to Galway in two hours once the final section, over 56 kilometres from Ballinasloe to Galway is complete. "Drivers can now travel a distance of 138 kms on world class roadway from Dublin to Ballinasloe, 123kms being motorway and only 15kms dual carriageway. The final link, the Ballinasloe to East Galway section, is on schedule for completion early next year. Such schemes will provide a much needed boost for national industrial and commercial sectors. Tourism will also benefit as tourists from home and abroad will enjoy a safer and shorter journey with certainty of travel time," he said. Meanwhile, Roscommon County Manager Frank Dawson used the Irish word "iontach" or wonderful to sum up his feelings about the event, a description that drew wry smiles from many present as clearly, farmers didn't share the same sentiments. Mr Dawson predicted the road would bring many benefits to Roscommon, in terms of better mobility, tourism and inward investment in the future. Last to the podium on the day was Taoiseach Brian Cowen, who was greeted by the noisiest scenes of the day as farmers successfully drowned out much of his speech over a loudspeaker to a muffled mutter as 'reverse the cuts' mantra rang around the area. Despite the protests, he pointedly said he was happy to be in Roscommon, hailing the "tremendous progress" bringing in the project five weeks ahead of time and below budget. "In road safety terms, the removal of 12,300 vehicles per day from the existing single carriageway should have a very positive impact. The new route will also improve the environment for people living adjacent to the existing N6. And the new Monksland junction arrangement will enable the local community to go about their business with greater ease, without mixing with the national route traffic." He concluded: "A good quality road network is essential in Ireland, given the predominant role of road transport in the movement of people and goods. Upgrading our national transport networks is also a key element in enhancing regional accessibility, connectivity and balanced regional development. The Government has devoted considerable resources in recent years to improving the major inter-urban motorway and dual carriageway network."