Limerick community feel ‘betrayed’ by Green party, says priest

The community of Moyross feel “betrayed” by the Green party’s act of “bad faith” over the proposed construction of a new road, says Moyross PP Fr Pat Hogan.

The priest’s comments come as pressure mounts on Green Party leader Eamon Ryan over his failure to progress a link road between Coonagh and Knockalisheen at Moyross, Limerick.

Fr Hogan said that Moyross needs the road – which has been planned for more than 12 years – in order to attract serious development in the area.

“Moyross needs people educated and in jobs, that’s what’s needed to regenerate the area,” Fr Hogan told The Irish Catholic. “And Eamon Ryan is actually cutting the legs from underneath us.”

Fr Hogan said that the project was agreed upon by all parties under the programme for Government, calling the decision not to sign it off “a serious act of betrayal”.

“Eamonn Ryan and the Green Party signed on the programme for Government in June, 76% of his party voted in favour of the programme for Government,” Fr Hogan explained. “In October, it all arrived at his desk and he has refused to sign it.

“This is a serious act of betrayal by the Government, it reneges on the programme for Government and it was agreed on,” Fr Hogan continued. “At best you can say it was bad faith.”

Fr Hogan said that, in blocking the construction, the Greens are “betraying their whole cause”.

“If you look up their website, they believe in social democracy, democracy of the grassroots,” he said. “This is not democracy of the grassroots, this is being dictated from on high.

“The Green party are doing themselves no favours and they’re doing no favours here and they’re actually betraying their whole cause.”