Coillte deal will result in dilapidation of countryside - Mayo councillor

THE deal between Coillte and Gresham House to buy 125,000 acres for forestry will result in the 'demise and dilapidation' of the countryside, a Mayo councillor has warned.

Councillor Damien Ryan has called on the government to again look at the deal and for the national representatives in Mayo to impress this upon them.

The deal, he said, 'does not serve rural Ireland'.

The matter was raised at three separate council meetings in the county in the past week.

Cathaoirleach Councillor Seamus Weir, at a full meeting of Mayo County Council, said they should be writing to the minister given the concerns he is hearing from landowners about the deal.

Kilmeena-based Councillor Johnny O'Malley also raised the matter at a Westport-Belmullet Municipal District meeting, where he said everyone is against it.

It was 'disgraceful' that the government and ministers were allowing the semi-state body to sell off the land, he stated.

People were waiting for over a year to get a licence to plant land but couldn't get one. But this company could come in and buy land and they would get a licence straight away.

“There's something awful wrong with this,” said Councillor O'Malley.

“Michael Davitt fought for this country, to get landlordism out of it. If he saw this he would turn in his grave.”

The deal, he stated, must be stopped.