The much heralded Slieve Bloom Mountain Bike Trail is now on hold due to a lack of funding.
The monthly meeting of Laois County Council heard that funding is not immediately available from either Fáilte Ireland or Coillte.
While planning approval is in place for the development, Laois and Offaly County Councils will now have to apply for alternative funding.
In his monthly management report, council CEO John Mulholland said full statutory approval is now in place for the proposed 46km Slieve Bloom Mountain Bike Trail.
“In early May, I met officials of Offaly County Council and Coillte in order to examine the funding options and to expedite preparations for development and construction.
“While funding is not immediately available from Fáilte Ireland or Coillte under the Capital Investment programme both Local Authorities are now collaborating to make an application for funding support under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme 2017 launched by Minister Ring in late April,” Mr Mulholland said.
The Local Authorities will be applying for funding up to €1million for the new trail. Should the application be successful a local contribution of 20% will be required.
For example, if they secure funding of €750,000 then the council would have to provide funding of €150,000.
He said members might have to agree to raise such a loan and pay it off over three years.
“At this point, I do not see any other source of funding,” Mr Mulholland said.
The news on lack of funding was described as “very disappointing,” by Cllr John Joe Fennell.
He said there had been a public meeting in Mountrath on the proposed mountain bike trail six years ago, with a lot of enthusiasm for the project.
“Failte Ireland has forgotten about Laois again,” he said.
“People were looking forward to this. People had plans for it. Businesses had plans for it. Now it is put on the long finger for a number of years,” he said.
Implications
The stalling of the mountain bike trail has “huge implications for the whole area,” Cllr Paddy Bracken said.
“Is there any other way we can fund this?” he said.
“Regrettably, I don’t see anything realistically,” Mr Mulholland replied.
He said Failte Ireland’s focus is now on the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East, with a large amount of applications for funding for projects associated with these.
“This project is our Wild Atlantic Way,” Cllr Willie Aird said.
“We are only looking for a small slice of the cake,” he said. He hoped there would be a change of heart on funding.
Cathaoirleach Cllr Tom Mulhall agreed that a letter would be send to Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys on the issue, as well as on dumping on Coillte lands. Cllr Mulhall said he was willing to lead a deputation to meet the minister on the matter.
SEE ALSO – Management of Ballyhoura bike trail predict big success for Slieve Bloom project
