Funding for the maintenance of Donegal’s Roads has been cut.
Latest figures released to Aontú show that funds for Donegal Co Councils Roads Maintenance section have been cut by €51,777.
It received €1,034,710 last year down from the previous €1,086,487
Aontú’s Cresslough Rep, Michael Harkin says
“This is the funding that pays for basic road maintenance, including clearing drains and gullies, repairing potholes and carrying out minor surface works. This is essential towards keeping roads safe and preventing avoidable damage and it is all the more relevant during periods of heavy rainfall.
These ongoing cuts are having a direct impact on road safety, flooding risk and the overall condition of local roads.
I have been calling for the resurfacing of the Creeslough to Carrigart road at Cashel which is very rough and it’s also the main road from the N56 to Doecastle, My collegue Mary T Sweeney has been actively calling for the inclusion of a skid free surface at Bunlin Bridge on Milford to Carrigart road, the site of numerous accidents. We saw another this morning where a car careered up onto the ditch having skidded on black ice”.
“Road maintenance is essential infrastructure for safety and cost savings. Cutting budgets leads to bigger, more expensive problems so it is a false economy, if that indeed is the purpose,”
“With heavier traffic and harsher weather, reducing maintenance budgets worsens road conditions and raises safety concerns.
It is absolutely essential that local authorities need consistent funding for effective, preventative maintenance.
“Maintaining roads is a core state duty. Communities deserve safe roads, not neglect caused by budget cuts.”
