GBFM Newsroom - There's a row over the role of An Taisce in active travel works near Connemara schools
The Heritage and environment organisation has designed preliminary plans encouraging walking to school
Some local councillors have questioned why An Taisce would have such a role given their stance on planning issues.
The criticism of a role for An Taisce in the work of Galway County Council was led by Councillor Séamus Walsh. He claimed that An Taisce are anti-local and anti-rural and that Galway County Council had plenty of expertise available to it in the matter at hand.
County Council roads staff explained that An Taisce had designed preliminary plans for areas close to some schools which would encourage a more active travel.
Councillor Alistar McKinistry disagreed with Councillor Walsh’s criticism of An Taisce. He said that An Taisce had done this type of preliminary work elsewhere and that they had been engaged in other works such as establishing Green Flag schools.
Councillor Walsh said that pupils who attended Green Flag schools sometimes found that An Taisce were objecting to their efforts to get planning to live in their own area.
Councillors Eileen Mannion and Thomas Welby both said they agreed with much of what Councillor Walsh had said about An Taisce with Councillor Welby pointing out that some Connemara people were refused membership in the organisation.
Image by Thorsten Frenzel from Pixabay
