The issue of security fencing between the back of houses at Garrycastle-Altown and the Greenway became an issue of contention at Monday’s meeting of the Athlone Municipal District.
Cllr Paul Hogan (SF ) said a commitment had been given more than a year ago to residents in the area that the council would provide funding to erect security fencing between the back of their homes and the amenity. He said the council was supposed to identify the appropriate fencing and get back to the residents, but as of yet their has been no reply.
Director of Services, Barry Kehoe, was adamant that no such commitment was given. He said there was never a budget in place for fencing at Garrycastle or around the boundary of the Greenway, and that such an outlay would amount to somewhere in the region of €40,000.
Mr Kehoe added that the council had plugged the gaps that people have been going through at the back of the houses, and that if any have been broken that the council can replace them.
Cllr Hogan rejected that no commitment was given. He said that before the extension of the Greenway to Whitegates the council discussed the issue of funding for the fencing, and that the conclusion was that it would find the funds for it.
Mr Kehoe said an application for funding was made to the Department, but that they were not in a position to finance it. He added that in the short term all the council can do is plug the gaps that people are using.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Frankie Keena (FF ) said that he was assured more than a year ago that the funding would be made available once it could be obtained by way of a Government grant.
However, Cllr Keena said he later arranged for a deputation to meet with the council to discuss this matter further. At that meeting, and in the absence of the necessary money been granted from Government for the fence, the council stated
