A PLAN to develop a greenway between Midleton and Youghal has been defended by the deputy mayor of the county.

The Green party had described the proposal to develop the 23km cycle and pedestrian along the line of a disused railway line as “short-sighted” and claimed it will make it impossible for Irish Rail to reestablish the route due to the tracks being covered by tarmac.

However, deputy county mayor and Youghal representative Mary Linehan Foley (IND) said there is no possibility of the railway line, which passes through Mogeely and Killeagh, being reopened and it will provide a much-needed tourism boost for the area.

“When [the greenway] came up I supported it 100% and I will continue to do so. I live by the Youghal railway line and station and look at it every day for the last 30 years a derelict site,” she said.

“The facts are Irish Rail has no intention - in my lifetime anyway - of reopening the railway from Midleton to Youghal.

“Many motions were passed at town council and East Cork level over the years to no avail. The last train that left Youghal carried sugar beet not people and back then people didn’t have transport like they do now. For too long, I’ve looked at Youghal my beautiful hometown slide backwards and now we have a chance to put a greenway to open up the gates again and get people in.”

The greenway will traverse an area known as Ballvergan Marsh where it is proposed to create a boardwalk structure over a distance of approximately 2.58km that will form a wildlife viewing point.