09 Nov Dillon announces €5.1m boost for Mayo’s Great Western Greenway

Mayo Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon has confirmed the allocation of a further €5.1 million to Mayo County Council to support the extension of the Great Western Greenway. The investment is to extend the route from Achill Sound to Bunnacurry as well as from Westport to Murrisk, developments that will add 52 kilometres to the popular tourist route.

Deputy Dillon said: “This is wonderful news for Mayo. This investment will see a further extension of the greenway onto Achill Island and significant further work on the trail between Westport and Murrisk. With each investment from the Government, we are getting closer to completing the Greenway all the way around Clew Bay.

“The Great Western Greenway has been a phenomenal success for Mayo. It is probably the finest outdoor recreational facility in the country and something of which we are rightly proud. Fine Gael started this project in 2011 and continue to invest and expand the route.

“As Fine Gael spokesperson on Tourism and Sport, I understand how vital the tourism sector is for Mayo. It has been a tough year for the sector due to the pandemic but investing in our tourism infrastructure is an important step in attracting visitors to the region.

“There can be no doubt that the Great Western Greenway has helped create many jobs and brought significant amounts of money into Mayo. In so doing it has had a resoundingly positive impact on people’s lives”.

“The Greenway has also provided us with a fantastic recreational resource and local people all along the route and from further afield in Mayo are using it in significant numbers. I’ve no doubt that it is having an extremely positive impact on people’s physical and mental health.