Report Paul Murphy
A Fine Gael councillor has hit out at plans to create forests in his parish and has called for a halt to the project saying that housing, sports and farming needs should come first. Paddy Meade has asked authorities to pause proposed forestry schemes at Polecastle, Lobinstown and Footstown Great pending “full consultations and assessment of local needs”. A motion he is tabling is expected to be on the agenda for Meath County Council’s next meeting in early October.
His statement comes in direct response to statements made by the council during a recent visit to the county of Minister of State Michael Healy Rea. It was announced that three sites had been advanced to the assessment stage for potential forestry schemes. Cllr Meade’s motion reads “That Meath County Council immediately pause and suspend all actions to advance the proposed forestry schemes at Polecastle, Lobinstown and Footstown Great pending full consultation with local elected members and the residents of Lobinstown parish and a detailed
assessment of the parish’s housing, community, sports and agricultural needs are met”.
He said he had worked on a number of proposals for these lands in recent years including supporting a charity project exploring land trade to provide facilities for the local ladies GAA team and other initiatives aimed at improving community amenities. He also noted that some of the land where it was proposed to plant forests had been “taken from small local farmers which could jeopardise the viability of their farms”.
Cllr Meade said that Lobinstown already boasted one of the most sustainable records in the county with a number of large forestry plantations, private wind turbines and planning permissions granted for hundreds of acres of solar panels. “No one should try to start a debate over the parish’s contribution to sustainability”, he said.
“Gives me houses, give me a ladies football pitch – and then we can talk about planting more trees in Lobinstown. Our parish has been waiting 45 years for new council houses and our sports clubs are crying out for facilities. Local needs must come first.”
