Galway Bay fm newsroom - A proposal that calls for the Compulsory Order process be removed from Greenway plans is set to return on the Galway Council Council agenda in February.
Loughrea area councillor Ivan Canning, who put forward the proposal, told the local authority that compulsorily acquiring people's lands was foreign to Ireland and that it created ill will leading to lack of progress in developing Greenways.
Maybe it's the republican coming out in me, stated Ivan Canning, as he called for the ending of Compulsory Purchase Orders relating to Greenways.
Such Orders give local authorities powers to acquire lands even if the owners does not agree.
Councillor Canning referenced the times when England controlled this country and said that Compulsory Orders were foreign to how we lived in Ireland.
Councillor Tom Curran took a similar view stating that these powers were reminders of the. landlord era.
Roads Director of Services, Derek Pender, told the meeting that news had just come in of agreement between a large range of bodies - including farming organisationson- on a code of practice regarding lands for Greenways. These included an upfront payment where agreement was reached
Councillor Alistar McKinstry was against removing Compulsory Purchase Orders as, he said, one person could hold up a good development for a very long time.
It was agreed to bring Councillor Canning's motion back onto the agenda in February.
