Local Fine Gael Councillor, John Dolan, has welcomed a grant totalling €95,000 which has been afforded towards the eventual construction of a greenway from Athlone to Clonmacnoise.
“I very much welcome the allocation of relevant funding to Offaly County Council from the Carbon Tax Fund announced this week. This €95,000 grant will enable Offaly County Council to fund ‘feasibility, consultation, and environmental screenings for the proposed greenway’. This study is the first important step in developing this great project.
“This is a great opportunity for Westmeath County Council to form a joint approach with our Offaly local authority counterparts to link Athlone with Clonmacnoise as approximately three kilometres of this proposed greenway is in Westmeath.
“I have raised this project at Council level in an effort to encourage Westmeath to engage and be proactive on this project and now thanks to this grant received by Offaly there should be a proposed project for completion in both counties. As I have suggested in the past this project should include opportunities for former employees of Bord Na Mona to be involved and employed in delivering this facility.
“This greenway would be a major help to the tourism and recreational offering of both Athlone and the South Westmeath area and there must be consultation with all stake holders and the public as the design work starts.
“Great credit must go to the Athlone to Clonmacnoise Greenway group who have done a vast amount of work on this project and it is vital that we, as a local authority, support this project in any way that we can.
“ I certainly will be working hard to make sure that Westmeath County Council gives this their full support,” Cllr. Dolan emphasised
