Cooley farmers say threat of CPOs for greenways must be scrapped

Farmers and homeowners in Cooley say they will not be playing the county council’s “games” over a proposed greenway.

It comes after a protest involving tractors took place against the development on the Louth peninsula.

On Friday 30 August, locals drove a procession of tractors, cars and lorries from Kickham Street in Cooley to Dundalk to make submissions at Louth County Council.

‘Snakes and ladders’

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, sheep and suckler farmer Thomas Keenan compared the consultation process for the greenway to a bad game of snakes and ladders.

“We were never asked anything about this until the meeting in July, no feedback, nothing sent in the post. In the election before that, we all got a card out in the post, that can be very easily done to get the information out there.

“There was a big billboard in the hotel that night, with a map and three lines and a whole lot of side contributors going off it. The way they were talking, there was only one way you can play the game, and [the council] were going to win it.”

The local authority, in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), developed a planned cycle and walkway over an almost 15km stretch on the Cooley peninsula with a number of possible routes presented to locals at a discussion in July.

The route would begin in Dundalk and encompass the local countryside and roadways on its way to Carlingford.

Compulsory purchase

Some locals are concerned that the local authority could resort to using compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) to acquire the land needed for the greenway.

“If you try put a greenway on flat land, you’re going through the best land in Cooley. Through houses, gardens, all good agricultural land, splitting farms up,” added Keenan.

“It’s frightening, that they can CPO your own good ground, what you’ve been farming for generations which I am completely 100% against.

“The threat of CPO over your land must be scrapped. At the end of the day, a greenway is not essential, you can live without it.”

The demonstration attracted the attention and support of the local communities.

The protest organisers said that there were over 1,300 submissions gathered against the proposed greenway.

Grace Finnegan, sheep and cattle farmer in Cooley said it was a dignified and respectful protest.

“We had a wide variety of people representing the Cooley peninsula from six month old babies being held in their mothers’ arms to a 93-year-old man cycling in from the gates to present his petition.

“Greenways should not be permitted to go through private property of any sort. This project started off with zero respect for the people of the Cooley peninsula.”

Waiting game

With the large protest now over, the locals are waiting on Louth County Council and TII’s next steps.

The local authority has extended the deadline for submissions about the proposed greenway until Friday 6 September.

Cooley suckler, sheep and tillage farmer, Derek McGrane said the local protestors will not be going away quietly.

“We’re in the long grass at the minute. It was a great day and there was a great turnout.

“I just hope that the county councillors, if they’re Sinn Féin, Fianna Fail or Fine Gael, I hope they get together and see that we mean business.

“We don’t want it. If it was needed, we would give in but it’s definitely not.”

Local strength

The protest organisers are still urging affected locals to speak their mind and make a submission.

McGrane said that the local farmers had become divided since the outbreak of the foot and mouth disease in 2001 but this protest has brought the rural community back together.

“I’ve never seen the peninsula so united.

“It’s not just affecting farmers, there’s households and small holdings as well. Everyone wants their house to be their little castle with privacy and security,” he added.

“They’re diluting our property rights and threatening us with CPOs.

“If they get away with this, they’ll get away with anything across the country.”