The Chairman of Croagh Patrick Stakeholders Group, Mr. Martin Keating, has warmly welcomed the announcement of a funding allocation of €480,000 by Mr. Michael Ring TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development for Sustainable Access and Habitat Restoration work on Croagh Patrick. He thanked the Minister, Department of Rural and Community Development Officials and Mayo County Council for their support in securing funding.
Over the last five years, the Croagh Patrick Stakeholders Group has succeeded in unifying its many stakeholders, from Mountain Shareholders to Adventure Race organisers, all with very diverse views and opinions around an inclusive vision for the Mountain to provide sustainable access to Croagh Patrick, while providing a high quality experience for all visitors, recognising its prominence as a cultural and spiritual icon and its popularity as a recreational destination.
Through recognising that no single user group or event is responsible for the condition of the mountain and that to attempt to allocate responsibility would be without merit and putting the care and long term sustainability of the mountain at the centre of our thinking, an access solution for Croagh Patrick has been arrived at.
The technical solution, which has been five years in the making, involved a unique collaborative process between the most experienced upland path consultants and contractors in Scotland, England and Ireland together with all the stakeholders on Croagh Patrick. It involved trial path work on the Summit to confirm that the proposed solution for this unique upland site was fit for purpose. The Planning process involved consultation with the statutory consultees, together with extensive engagement with Community, Church and Recreational users and has confirmed the support of all for the project including the formal approval of the Planning Authority. The Stakeholder Group has put in place an appropriate Corporate Structure and has acquired an interest in the path to facilitate the project proceeding in an orderly and safe manner.
With a funding confirmed, the Croagh Patrick Stakeholders Group will now commence putting arrangements in place to implement the plans. We are satisfied that we have the capacity, commitment and mandate to deliver an exemplar access solution for Croagh Patrick, develop the skills, structures and arrangements required to maintain and manage it sustainably into the future.
ENDS
Further details from Martin Keating, Chairman, Croagh Patrick Stakeholders Group [email protected]
