Following fourteen years of protracted negotiations, Minister of State and Longford/Westmeath TD, Deputy Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran has confirmed this morning that agreement has been reached on the transfer of the Railway Field from CIE to Westmeath County Council.
Contracts for the transfer of the property - key to the new one-way traffic system in Athlone – are to be exchanged and finalised before the end of the summer.
Minister Moran said he was delighted to share the good news.
‘This matter has been ongoing for the past fourteen years and when I was elected to the Dail, one of my first meetings was with CIE in an effort to bring matters to a successful conclusion. I have been in constant discussions on the issue ever since.
Transport Minister Shane Ross was in Athlone twice as efforts were ramped up to resolve this long-running issue and I am delighted that matters have reached a successful conclusion.
Credit must go also to Westmeath County Council and to the council members for constantly keeping the issue to the forefront,’ Minister Moran stated.
The council needs to purchase the field and use it to develop a much-needed link road between the Crescent junction and back towards St Vincent’s Care Centre.
“This has been a long-running saga that I was always very anxious to help resolve. I am delighted to announce that the sale of the field is now going ahead and will be completed in a matter of weeks,” said Minister Moran. “I also want to pay tribute to CIE for their role in bringing matters to a successful conclusion and for being very positive throughout.”
