Roads allocation welcome, but is not enough - Deputy

Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher Leas Cheann Comhairle, has confirmed grants of €33 million for regional and county roads within Donegal for the year 2018.

It was confirmed to Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher by Minister Shane Ross this afternoon – the Department of Transport announced the allocation which is an increase on 2017 and 2016 but only by €2 million, as €10 million of today’s allocation is ring-fenced for severe weather damage , which is urgently required in areas badly hit by the destruction of floods and inclement weather.

Overall the allocation will not meet the legacy needs of the county’s infrastructure which due to under investment, is coming under severe pressure. The real terms increase of just over €2 million, will still fall short of the needs of the county’s regional and county roads.

Pat the Cope added the road grants announced today cover all county and regional roads improvements and maintenance of all roads right throughout Donegal, further to that the grants announced today cover bridge restoration and safety improvement measures in the county.

Whilst I welcome today’s announcement, it falls far short of our expectation and basic need in order to maintain the county’s roads network and infrastructure. The grants today show minimal real term increase on 2017 out turn figures. Using today’s rate of increase of funding, it will take years in order to bring the majority of the roads in the county up to standard.

Pat the Cope concluded by stating additional resources must be obtained for Donegal roads in order to maintain the vast road network we have within the county.

“We have a backdrop of under investment on our roads network between 2011 and present – further investment will be needed and an accelerated investment programme on our roads will be required on a multiannual basis and therefore I request the Department to make an additional announcement of resources for Donegal in the course of 2018 from internal savings.”

A link to the full break down of funding is below.

Donegal CoCo

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