Clare Fine Gael Senator Tony Mulcahy has confirmed that Clare has received the seventh highest allocation nationally from a €50m funding announcement for regional and local roads in Ireland’s 34 local authority areas.
Senator Mulcahy said Clare has been allocated €1,980,814 to carry out surface restoration works and undertake emergency safety works up to the end of 2013.
“Clare is a rural county and therefore, a large portion of its road network comprises regional and local roads. While I am conscious that overall State contributions to the maintenance of the country’s road infrastructure have been diminished somewhat by the ongoing fiscal constraints facing the country, this allocation will nonetheless make a significant difference in the overall upkeep of our local roads,” he explained.
Senator Mulcahy added: “This €1,980,814 allocation is to be directed primarily to surface restoration works. However, if the Council considers that there are particular safety schemes that need to be progressed urgently and that some of the additional funding should be allocated to such schemes then the Council can make an application to the Department of Transport to use some funds on that basis.”
He continued: “Individual Local Authorities are the bodies responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of regional and local roads. Exchequer grants supplement the Local Authorities expenditure in this area. The allocation to each local authority therefore, in part, reflects the record of each local authority in respect of funding repairs from their own resources. Clare Local Authorities have received an allocation higher than those received by local authorities in surrounding counties including Limerick, Tipperary and Kerry which underlines the considerable level of investment made by the Council in the local roads network.”
“The allocations for 2014 will be considered later this year. However, the allocation to each local authority will once again reflect the proportion of how much each local authority spends of their discretionary income on their regional and local roads network,” concluded Senator Mulcahy.
Senator Mulcahy said Clare has been allocated €1,980,814 to carry out surface restoration works and undertake emergency safety works up to the end of 2013.
“Clare is a rural county and therefore, a large portion of its road network comprises regional and local roads. While I am conscious that overall State contributions to the maintenance of the country’s road infrastructure have been diminished somewhat by the ongoing fiscal constraints facing the country, this allocation will nonetheless make a significant difference in the overall upkeep of our local roads,” he explained.
Senator Mulcahy added: “This €1,980,814 allocation is to be directed primarily to surface restoration works. However, if the Council considers that there are particular safety schemes that need to be progressed urgently and that some of the additional funding should be allocated to such schemes then the Council can make an application to the Department of Transport to use some funds on that basis.”
He continued: “Individual Local Authorities are the bodies responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of regional and local roads. Exchequer grants supplement the Local Authorities expenditure in this area. The allocation to each local authority therefore, in part, reflects the record of each local authority in respect of funding repairs from their own resources. Clare Local Authorities have received an allocation higher than those received by local authorities in surrounding counties including Limerick, Tipperary and Kerry which underlines the considerable level of investment made by the Council in the local roads network.”
“The allocations for 2014 will be considered later this year. However, the allocation to each local authority will once again reflect the proportion of how much each local authority spends of their discretionary income on their regional and local roads network,” concluded Senator Mulcahy.
