PETER HUGHES
“There could be some move afoot to scupper the proposal,” stated Sinn Féin’s Pat Treanor at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council in relation to the restoration of the Ulster Canal.
Colr Treanor sounded alarm bells in relation to the Government’s commitment to funding the project – long regarded as a potential flagship tourism development with particular benefits for the Clones area – after correspondence from the Department of Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys TD was circulated to the elected members.
The letter spoke of “a complete appraisal” of the impact of the first phase of the development – a 2.5 km stretch from Castle Saunderson to the Erne Basin – being carried out before consideration was given to its further extension.
Expressing concern that no Government funding commitment had yet been given to the project, Colr Treanor on Monday called for the formation of a task force of stakeholder interests in order to drive the Ulster Canal regeneration forward.
The correspondence before the meeting, from the Minister’s Private Secretary Nessa Foley, stated:
“I refer again to your recent correspondence to Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, in connection with …