Brosna river ‘needs care and attention’

The River Brosna in Mullingar is in need of “a bit of care and attention” according to Cllr Bill Collentine – but he has been assured by council officials that will change.

Director of services Deirdre Reilly told the members of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District at their September meeting, that as part of the Canal Avenue regeneration, there are plans afoot to open up the River Brosna as an amenity at the location where it meets the Royal Canal.

“It has been identified as an amenity that definitely needs some attention,” she stated.

Cllr Collentine brought his concerns over the condition of the river to the attention of his colleagues and council officials at the September meeting as he spoke on his motion proposing the district write to the OPW to ascertain if it has a maintenance programme in place for the Brosna.

Cllr Collentine said that the Tidy Towns committee has recently erected six information boards in the town and that had stimulated a lot of interest in the river – but also questions as to why it is not looking better than it does.

“I think the town is crying out for something to be done, like cleaning it up and cutting back the bushes,” he said, adding that weeds and grass were also an issue.

The Fianna Fáil man said that there is an onus on today’s generation to care for the river for the benefit of the generations to come.

Cllr Collentine received support from the mayor, Cllr Aoife Davitt, and from Cllr Emily Wallace, who said it has been neglected and that if funding is ever to be acquired for the river, it will require that there is a plan in place.

The official response from the executive to Cllr Collentine’s motion stated that if members were in agreement, a letter could be sent.