IrelandNet.ie

Almost €7 Million Allocated To Repair Offaly’s Roads

Thursday, 4 February 2010

By Siobhán Gavin
ALMOST 7 million euro has been allocated to repair national and secondary roads and complete road projects in Offaly in 2010.
On Monday Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey announced that Offaly County Council would receive €6.78 of the Government's €1.115 billion investment in national roads.
Some councillors have expressed their anger over the lack of funding available to repair the roads.
Neighbouring counties Laois are receiving over €77.5 million, the third highest allocation in the country, while over €21 million has been allocated to roads in Westmeath.
Cllr Sinead Dooley said yesterday that Offaly County Council have prioritized a number of improvements and safety measures on roads in Tullamore and throughout the county.
Offaly County Council have allocated €2.855m to continue the Tullamore bypass to the N6.
€300,000 will be spent on the new link road between Tullamore and Kilbeggan. €240,000 will be spent at Scrub Cross in Killiegh and €30,000 will be used to improve pedestrian access at Kilcruttin. €5,000 is to be spent on the Arden Road in Tullamore and €202,000 on road improvements in Tubber.
Only €773,000 has been allocated by Offaly County Council for pavement and minor works throughout the county and a total of €813,400 has been allocated for the maintenance of the county's national and secondary roads.
An Taoiseach Brian Cowen and some county councillors welcomed Monday's announcement.
Others however feel monies allocated are far from what is required to improve the counties roads.
Yesterday (Tuesday, February 2) An Taoiseach said 'over the past decade Fianna Fáil in Government has prioritised the improvement of our national roads network. This massive investment has helped to support our economic development and more and more significant projects are being delivered on time and under budget. This year's investment, nationally and here in County Offaly will continue this good work'.
Cllr Sinéad Dooley said the investment demonstrates the Government's continued commitment to upgrade the States national road infrastructure.
She said 'locally Tullamore has benefited greatly by the completion ahead of schedule of the by-pass which opened last October and with Monday's allocation of funding for the Tullamore Area, a number of improvements and safety measures, could now be put in place'.
Fine Gael councillor Tommy McKeigue however said that half of the money allocated was recycled from last year and a lot more money was needed to improve the county's roads.
Cllr McKeigue said: '50 percent of that money was already committed since the bypass started and they're only recycling what was allocated last year. The €300,000 for the Kilbeggan link road was there last year and there was no work done on that road last year'.
While Cllr McKeigue welcomed the money allocated to Scrub Cross in Killiegh he said the Arden Road needs half a million euros to bring it up to standard.
'That €5,000 is only for works already undertaken on the Arden Road, we need a half a million to do that road from Scally's to the hospital,' he claimed.
Cllr McKeigue described the near €800,000 for pedestrian improvements in the county as a 'national scandal' and has lodged a motion that Offaly County Council write to Minister Dempsey asking him to reverse his decision.
'If thats all we're going to get to repair roads after frost, that's a national scandal. We need €10 million to bring roads up to standard. We have a lot to do on secondary roads as well,' Cllr McKeigue concluded.
Further allocations include €60,000 to be spent on the Birr road at Cloghan and €80,000 on pedestrian improvements in Kilcormac
€305,000 will be spent on the Black Bull junction and adjoining lay-by.
Senior Roads Engineer with Offaly County Council Charlie McCarthy is currently surveying the state of the county's roads and is expected to give an estimate of costs at the next monthly council meeting.

Subscribe to read full newspaper »

Send this page to a friend »