Roscommon County Council has been allocated over €11.7 million to carry out maintenance and improvement works on regional and local Roads.
The news came as part of an announcement by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, of a €324 million investment programme in regional and local roads. Speaking this afternoon the Minister said that the priority in 2017 continues to be the maintenance of our existing road network which will enhance safety and support job growth in local areas. He went on to say “I am delighted that the allocations to local authorities will see an increase of about 9% in 2017. This increase has the potential to allow an additional 210kms of road to be strengthened in 2017.”
A breakdown of the funding allocated to Roscommon County Council is as follows:
Total Allocation €11,734,015.
Restoration – Improvement €6,653,303.
Restoration – Maintenance €1,679,811.
Discretionary Grant €2,847,684.
Speed Limits €47,850.
Training Grant €52,000.
Specific Improvement Grants
L1210 Float Bridge, Ballaghaderreen €9,367.
Bridge Rehabilitation Works on Regional and Local Roads
L1616-18 Termon Bridge(Ardass), Termon, Castlerea €50,000.
L5590-49 Cloonagh Bridge, Carrowbehy €20,000.
R325 Cloonard Bridge, Cloonard, Castlerea €20,000.
L-1412 Laghtcausk Bridge, Cloonyquin €30,000.
L-6163 Rathmore Bridge, Rathmore €20,000.
L-1025 Emlagh Bridge, Emplagh, Carrick on Shannon €25,000,
L-6637-002 Emlagh Beg Bridge, Empagh Beg €45,000.
L-1812 Ballymartin Beg Bridge €20,000.
L-6010 Slattagh More, Rooskey €40,000.
Safety Improvement Works on Regional and Local Roads
Boyle town N61 / R294 Pedestrian footpath drop kerbs Boyle town and Rockingham.
L1201/L12012 Junction at Derinacarta €30,000.
L1812 Junction L1812 Ballingard Road €30,000.
L1412 Moneyboy, Strokestown €20,000.
R361 Breedoge €15,000.
R370 Knockglass,Ballinameen €19,000.
L-70521 L-70525 L-70524 Junction on sharp bend in busy community in Roscommon Town.
L1806 Bend on L1806 at Bridge on river Hind €10,000.
Commenting on the news Independent TD Michael Fitzmauice said that the increase wasn’t enough.
“Today Minister Shane Ross announced €324 million expenditure on regional and local roads for 2017 but although the press release claims a 9% increase on the 2016 figure, the increases in Galway and Roscommon are not near that figure”.
“The 2016 figure for Galway was €18.5 million and this year a total of 19,574,451 will be spent which is an increase of about 5%. In Roscommon the 2016 figure was €11,299,000 and the 2017 figure is €11,734,000 which is a rise of just over 4%. The rise of 9% may be happening on the East Coast or elsewhere but it is not happening in this region” he added.
“I would point out that in 2007 the allocation for County Galway alone was €32 million which gives an indication of just how far down we have slipped in terms of investment in our local and regional roads. This is another case of a Government Department pulling the wool over the eyes of the people. We need to do far more to bring our roads up to an acceptable standard and unless there is an huge increase in investment into the future then the roads infrastructure in rural areas will simply fall apart” he concluded.