An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has been asked to visit Swan Park in Buncrana during his visit to the county next week.
Varadkar has a number of events scheduled in Donegal on 11th September – including the official opening of the new bridge at Cockhill and a President’s Lunch with the Letterkenny Chamber.
Sinn Fein Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn and the Buncrana Tidy Towns have written to the Taoiseach to request that he visit the park that was destroyed in the August 2017 flash floods.
It will take an estimated €2.3million to restore and reopen the popular Swan Park which is greatly missed by the people of Inishowen.
In his letter, Senator Mac Lochlainn reminded Mr Varadkar of the destruction he saw during his visit to Inishowen in the aftermath of the floods. The Senator pointed out that despite repeated representations, the community has been unable to secure the necessary funding from Government to reconstruct and reopen our park.
“I believe that it is imperative that you take the time, while in Buncrana, to visit Swan Park to see for yourself, it’s present state and to meet a delegation of Donegal County Council officials and some of the local community leaders who have been campaigning for the reopening of the park,” Senator Mac Lochlainn said.
According to Senator Mac Lochlainn, Mr Varadkar has acknowledged the correspondence but gave no confirmation that he would facilitate the request.
Also this week, Buncrana Tidy Towns Garden Chairperson Paddy McLaughlin has written to the Taoiseach and Donegal TD and Government Chief Whip Joe McHugh TD to visit Swan Park.
In his letter Mr McLaughlin has emphasised that Swan Park is an important local amenity and tourist attraction which remains closed at a significant loss to the Inishowen peninsula.
He also writes:“Buncrana Tidy Towns acknowledge the fantastic work of Donegal County Council in maintaining and developing Swan Park. Prior to the floods we had expected development work to begin late last year that would have greatly enhanced what is already a historic and much-loved local heritage location.
“Buncrana Tidy Towns and other local organisations had worked closely with the Council to develop the planned works, and collectively we were really proud of what we had as a community achieved.
“As a town we feel really let down by the Government as no Minister has engaged with us to provide a funding solution for the estimated €2.3m needed to restore and reopen the park.
“Swan Park is to Inishowen what the Phoenix Park is to Dublin. It would be unimaginable after enduring significant damage from flooding that the Phoenix Park or indeed Stephens Green or Herbert Park would be left impassable for over a year due to a refusal by Government to provide the necessary public funding.
“Thousands of locals have already signed and presented a signed a petition to Government calling for funding needed to reopen the park.
“Donegal County Council has the necessary plans and permissions to commence the work. Buncrana Tidy Towns for our part made a joint application with Donegal County Council to secure funding from the Community Involvement Scheme to at least get the paths reopened but the funding was not granted.
“I cannot overstate how let down the people of Buncrana and indeed wider Inishowen feel on this issue. It would be unforgiveable of the Taoiseach to visit Buncrana and not see for himself how badly damaged Swan Park remains.” wrote Mr McLaughlin.
