Funding for Cavan inner relief route

The provision of a new inner-relief road for Cavan town is one of the key projects to benefit from money raised through the planning and development levies. It was revealed at Cavan County Council that a sum of €100,000 is being allocated for this job in 2010 and a further €900,000 in 2011. The new inner-relief road will connect the Dublin road at Brady's garage with the centre of the town, the general objective being to facilitate easier traffic movement between the traditional shopping area of Cavan with the new retail developments that have sprung up along the Dublin road in recent years. Otherwise a series of infrastructural improvements to water and sewerage services in towns throughout the county, as well as road and street improvements, are also among projects listed to benefit from funding accrued under the planning and development contribution scheme. It was stated at the September meeting of Cavan County Council that a sum of €12,714,180 is required to advance water and sewerage schemes at various locations throughout the county. A council contribution of €3,897,781 is required to co-finance the cost of this work and the council intend to allocate a sum of €1,126,000 from available development contributions with the remaining balance of €2,771,780 to be supplemented by Departmental loan. The advancement of water or sewerage services in Cavan, Bailieboro, Kingscourt, Ballyconnell, Belturbet, Virginia, Ballinagh, Cootehill and Kilnaleck is planned over the next two years. According to the council the projects listed are key and strategic and will facilitate continued development of the county in accordance with the aims of the County Development Plan. Funds from the development levy are also earmarked for Kingscourt streets (€100,000 in 2010 and €100,000 in 2011) and the Cootehill Enterprise Park (€50,000 in 2010 and €50,000 in 2011). Allocations of €20,000 each are being made for improvement works at Bawnboy workhouse, the Green Lake, Cavan, Cootehill footbridge and Belturbet library. A sum of €40,000 is being allocated towards the improvement of footpaths. Following explanatory reports from Directors of Service, Ger Finn, Eoin Doyle and Joe McLoughlin; Cllr. Charlie Boylan stressed the importance of making the public aware of how the development levy funding was being spent. He suggested that the names of the different projects that benefited should be published in The Anglo-Celt. Also he said it was important that people engaged in developments should be made aware of when their payments were due. Unfortunately when many people commenced a development they ran into difficulties, which shouldn't have been there. People who paid a sum of €8,000 expected such work to be done, he said. Responding to Cllr. David Blake, Mr. McLoughlin explained that the €200,000 earmarked for Kingscourt streets would be used alongside other funding which the council hoped to use for the improvement works.