We're turning now to matters from the Killaloo Municipal District because local representatives
from the east of the county are arguing they've been dealt an effective funding cut
for local and regional roads maintenance.
The Killaloo MD has been allocated just shy of €7.4 million for the upkeep and repair
of its roads network as part of Claire County Council's 2026 budget.
Its 3% increase on last year for the region, which contains 28% of the county's local
But local representatives claim it's a real terms reduction when inflation is taken
The funding was unveiled at this week's Killaloo MD meeting, where roads were a dominant
discussion topic where proposals put forward for cat's eyes on major route and funding
for footpath repairs in a major town.
Claire Femmes, Sean Lines, went along to the meeting and caught up with the Mahara
Fienafol councillor Pat A's and Ducala Hens Mills, Finne Gayle councillor Conor Ryan.
This broadcast package on Claire Femmes is funded by the local democracy reporting scheme.
We're in the downward decline here in terms of funding for roads.
The cost going up, as was what I was really disappointed was the volume of money going
into region roads, and the expected by the department has just been 10% of your, and
in fact, the Salafini said that 15% should be spent on region roads.
I think we're downroading to 3% or 4%, and I think, in essence, we're only doing 9
kilometres of the total tone than 21 kilometres of region roads.
So I think we're in a very poor state at the moment, and following on from the very
difficult winter we've had weather-wise, and also the challenge with the extraction
of timber on our roads, we're really in the challenge position for the coming year.
Are you disappointed with the local authority and the work that they've done?
They would obviously point to funding constraints from central government, but are they doing
enough engaging and lobbying with central government?
I think we need to do far more of that, and we need to start to look at, when I look
at the funding mechanisms for other counties, and I see far greater funding coming in for
their roads as well.
I think we need to be more proactive in this strategic plan that I've been asking for for a
We hopefully give us a temper going forward to find funding that we'll actually bring
up the rate of funding at present, because it is too low.
We're about half of the rate is what we need in our municipal district.
If we had 14 million in the morning, we'd just about get into the level that we need
And Councillor Canter-Range is bringing you in on that.
You pointed to the Iraqis members as well.
You asked the question, are they working hard enough at a government level to bring the
Of course, we have to acknowledge that there are a number of representatives in the
Iraqis from the East clear region, they're including one from your own party, and yet
the funding isn't satisfactory, so would you like to see more being done at that level?
100% like, if you're listening to Cyril, to the care state, Claire County Council is
interested in funding.
I mean, the roads budget simply, although it's increased to a percent, that's not in line
Didn't the case that we're even threatened while we're losing ground?
No more than Councillor Hayes has said, we're going to be doing a little bit less this year,
more than likely a little bit less to fall in here, and that builds up significantly
Certainly we're all speaking to our local, our other
Certainly I've been on to Joe Coney about it.
We have three government TDIs, one of which is a junior minister, and look in fairness,
I suppose, they're doing the best they can, perhaps we can secure further funding from
Claire County Council itself has increased its own allocation in terms of drawing up
So certainly the local authority is doing the very best it can, but look, it's unfortunately
there's so many outside forces, we look at the world and around and everything else,
and this is simply something that's going to drive up costs exponentially.
But look at the case of doing the best we can and allocating the funding to the most
And staying with the attempts to secure funding for works on roads, you were looking for funding
today for Katzai's, a road does on the OR-465 amid road safety concerns.
The response did mention that there are funding constraints that a lot of funding would
be required to bring about those enhancements, was that a disappointing response or what
was your impression of the reply you got from the MD today?
I suppose it was a reasonable response from the DMD.
I suppose look if Katzai's could be put in a targeted fashion at certain junctions
and black spots in order to enhance visibility and in order to demarcate the edges of the
road, certainly there in Kilmore, you can between drivers and other issues, you can kind
of be blurred as to where the road margin is and where the drive where begins.
And look at it, I think a simple measure to enhance driver behaviour and road safety.
Certainly it's something that Councillor James Ryan has brought up as he's in the road
in the Shannon MD and something that Deputy Coney has broached their last month in the
So look at it, I would like to see I suppose certain small improvements along the stretch
of the airbrad for the Limerick Road, but look I do appreciate that to do the entire stretch
of road would be a considerable investment from Claire County Council.
It's an unreal progress on that today.
Well look at it, he's a first step and hopefully there will be funding for coming from government
or perhaps an element from Claire County Council's own resources in order to target certain
And Councillor Hayes, you had a proposal on footpaths and taller today, a given a number
of deficits and issues in that part of the municipal district that was part of the broader
discussion about road funding, but as I say, you had a specific proposal on that, what's
your impression of the condition of the footpaths in taller and indeed what was your impression
of the response that you received today?
I suppose we've been planning and looking at the footpaths and taller long time now and
But too much looking at it happening.
We've been fed up with that sort of procedure anymore that we're actually asking questions
And I would like you to get the response today that we're actually having a target response
and the new manager here in our district give a commitment to starting working in a number
of areas around the town of Tuller and that he had secured funding for it, which is
very positive news that we actually are going to do something in the coming months in Tuller
because there's been numerous requests on people and particularly older people and trying
to get around the town with challenging issues and poor quality footpaths and connectivity
is really important.
And I think that's really where we need to start moving and we need to particularly
with the growth of housing in Tuller, we cannot continue to be developing houses and
forgetting the infrastructure, the bare infrastructure at the central Tuller.
This broadcast package on Clare FM is funded by the local democracy reporting scheme.
