Anger at “sterilisation” of lands along stalled N61 route corridor

It was claimed at the May meeting of the Athlone Municipal District of Roscommon County Council that the Constitutional rights of farmers are being infringed due to the continued “sterilisation” of their lands for a road upgrade project which has been stalled.

The claim was made by Cllr John Keogh during a discussion on the delays in completing the N62 Ballymurray to Knockcroghery road scheme, which is not now expected to get underway in the foreseeable future.

Cllr Keogh said the council are leaving themselves open to “a Constitutional challenge” by farmers living along the route of the proposed scheme, and said it was both “unreasonable and unfair” that these people should have “an indefinite infringement on their Constitutional rights” due to being unable to make whatever use they wish of their lands as a result of delays in the roads project.

Councillors were discussing a letter received by the council from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) which reiterated its strong commitment “on a phased basis” to the advancement of the long-awaited road upgrade, but said it could not be accommodated in the national roads programme at present due to a lack of funding.

The letter stated that TII has provided an allocation of €300,000 to Roscommon County Council to “identify and progress a priority section” of the preferred option for the proposed project.

“This letter from TII is an abuse of power,” declared an irate Cllr Donal Kilduff, who pointed out that it leaves landowners along the route of the proposed scheme “effectively in limbo with their lands sterilised and their lives turned upside down.”

He said there had been “no engagement with the landowners or the elected representatives”.

While he declared himself to the “fully supportive” of the upgrade to the Ballymurray to Knockcroghery section of the N61, Cllr Kilduff said he could not see anything wrong with completing the design phase which would identify lands on the preferred route, and would release all other lands which are currently subject to sterilisation due to the project being stalled.

Cllr Tony Ward said it was “completely unacceptable” that farmers along the route of this stalled project should “own land that they have no control over.”

He said these landowners don’t know if it will be “five, 10 or 25 years” before this issue will be resolved and, in the meantime, their “hands are tied” and they cannot make use of their own asset. “This is a ridiculous situation and we have to go back to TII, we cannot accept this on behalf of the farmers and landowners along the route.”