Transport Minister to meet council official on roads

The Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan is to meet with Cavan senior executives to discuss the condition of the county’s roads and the need for funding in this area in early December.

Fianna Fáil TD Niamh Smyth welcomed the commitment by the Minister this week following representations.

The meeting between local authority reps and Department officials will take place on Friday, December 11.

“I have invited the representatives from Cavan County Council to attend and outline the position as it stands in relation to funding countywide.

“It follows on from a number of complaints to my office regarding the state of roads in certain areas. These are primarily rural roads and vital access points for the families who use them daily.

“I have visited these roads and they are in dire need of investment but funding appears to be an issue.

“They are the L7534 in the Derrynure, the Seeorum Road and Tattyreagh Road in Bailieborough and Curkish Lane, which I raised on the floor of the Dáil with the Tánaiste last week,” Deputy Smyth told the Celt this week.

The meeting will also afford council engineers the opportunity to discuss major infrastructural projects such as the East West Link and Virginia N3 bypass.

Protect the investment

Meanwhile, Deputy Brendan Smith says the Department must invest in the local road network to “protect the investment” of previous decades.

He’s calling on Minister Ryan to provide additional funding for the non-national road network in 2021.

“The local and regional roads are a very important part of the road network in rural counties like Cavan and Monaghan. The vast majority of the population and a high percentage of businesses and enterprise depend on this road network on a daily basis,” Deputy Smith.

Replying to a Parliamentary Question posed by Deputy Smith, Minister Ryan anticipated additional funding for regional and local road maintenance and renewal in 2021.

“A substantial increase would be a positive and welcome development for rural communities,” Deputy Smith said.

The Fianna Fáil representative said planning for work on the road network is at a critical stage: “From the later 1990s through to 2010 we put massive investment into roads. That investment into the smaller county roads needs to be protected with surfacing works. If they are let deteriorate, it takes on a momentum of its own in the wrong directions. You need to invest to protect the investment that was made in rebuilding the roads network.”