By Dionne Meehan
FIANNA Fáil held a community meeting in Ramelton Community Centre on Monday night which was attended by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue and Donegal County Councillor, Liam Blaney.
The meeting, which was held for the Ramelton, Rathmullan and Drumhalla areas, updated the local community and the local parishes on projects while also providing them with an opportunity to raise queries.
Issues discussed on the night included the Rural Regeneration Project, the Rathmullan Pier Refurbishment, updates on the Sewerage and Water Scheme, the Defective Blocks Scheme, the new Agriculture Scheme and social housing.
Speaking to the Donegal News on the night, Minister Charlie McConalogue said he is finding these meetings a “very productive” exercise.
Discussing projects currently planned and underway in the above areas, Minister McConalogue said he has been working closely with Cllr Liam Blaney to bring investment into these parishes.
With €6.5 million in government funding and €1 million from Donegal County Council going towards the regeneration of Ramelton, Minister McConalogue described this project as being “massive” for the town.
“Also, we are seeing investment planned and committed to in relation to the community hospital,” he said.
With a significant €50 million invested in terms of the sewerage infrastructure for the joint Ramelton, Rathmullan and Milford Sewerage Scheme, Minister McConalogue said this is going to enable these areas to grow into the future.
“It is a big step forward,” he said.
Alongside this, we are also seeing a new Garda Station opening in Ramelton.
“That is something I have been working on for a significant period of time.
“The OPW are stepping that out as well,” Minister McConalogue said.
From a Rathmullan perspective, he said the development of the pier is a really significant piece of infrastructure.
“I am expecting the foreshore license to be through in the next couple of months all going well which we want to then see step out to tender.
That is approximately €4 to €5 million of a project and an investment,” he said.
Minister McConalogue added that a €20 million investment is almost complete in Greencastle.
“We have seen an investment in Downings and we have seen over €1 million spent on Portsalon Pier. Likewise, Rathmullan is the key piece I want to see stepped out and concluded next year,” he said.
Talking about the wider development in the north of the county, Minister McConalogue said they are pushing the Ten T Project “as fast as it can go”.
The development of the new community hospital was also discussed on the night in relation to its “importance” for the region and indeed for Ramelton and Rathmullan as well.
Despite being faced by many challenges, Minister McConalogue said the reason he is in government is to do as much as he possibly can to deliver for an area and deliver for a county.
“That’s what we are doing, working hard and it is important in doing that to update people and be giving them the opportunity to engage with you along the way in terms of what is happening and what is not happening,” he said.
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