AARON KENT
It emerged at the most recent meeting for the Comeragh District that Transport Infrastructure Ireland will not be providing funding in 2026 to connect the Suir Blueway in Carrick to the greenway in Kilmeaden, Waterford.
This connection has been on the agenda for years, with Tipperary County Council holding a public consultation meeting to gauge public opinion as far back as 2022. In the notice for the meeting they describe the proposed connection as “having the potential to deliver a differentiated, attractive, and authentic visitor experience through a varied landscape connecting to and supporting the economic development of the urban centre of Carrick-on-Suir and the rural villages of Portlaw and Kilmeaden”.
“Supporting the development of the rural tourism economy, this connection would leverage innovation, creativity and linkages enticing visitor flow between tourist attractions including Ormond Castle, Curraghmore House and Waterford Suir Valley Railway as well as the substantive Greenway and Blueway experiences.”
On hold
With Councils from Waterford and Tipperary working together to progress the project through the feasibility stage, hopes were high that Transport Infrastructure Ireland would provide funding to develop the Kilmeaden greenway even further, which would bring significant social and economic benefits to the Comeragh region.
However, the major setback for the project was highlighted during the latest meeting of the Comeragh District, when Councillor Seanie Power asked for an update.
“We have spoken to TII in this regard in relation to funding for the feasibility study,” explained a Council representative. “I’m aware that there is no funding available for further investigations into the feasibility of the connection to be funded by TII.”
“Under TII it doesn’t look like it is going to be funded in the foreseeable to progress it any further.”
In response to this, Cllr. Power asked if this means the project has been shelved?
“It is disappointing that TII won’t be able to commit the funding in 2026 to push it on further,” acknowledged the Council executive. “It might mean a delay and looking for alternative sources.
“There is a body of work that has been done already, which has not been wasted, but will be brought on to the next stage, looking at preliminary design and formal assessment to see if the project is feasible.”
Cathaoirleach for the Comeragh District, Cllr. John O’Leary, said: “It’s disappointing news. There is considerable amount of work after being done on the Blueway-Greenway”.
Cllr. O’Leary went on to ask if they could set up an additional meeting with the TII or seek alternative sources of funding. “It would be a pity to leave it a fait accompli,” Cllr. O’Leary said.
The council executive replied: “TII would be the main state funders in terms of national greenway development for projects that would align with the national greenway strategy”.
“We could potentially look at breaking the project up into stages and have a smaller part of it to begin with, like Kilmeaden to Portlaw.
“There are options out there … it is not off the agenda entirely,” the council executive added.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
