Running out of road as costs increase
Monaghan County Council is confident it can implement its 2026 roads programme in full, Acting Director of Transportation Services Nial O’Connor told the local authority’s June meeting.
He was responding to councillors’ concerns that some roads might have to be cut from the programme in light of cost increases since the planned works were agreed.
Cllr Niamh McCooey (SF) said there now appears to be a €750,000 shortfall in the funding needed to carry out the roads programme in full.
“Monaghan County Council has committed more of its own resources to roads than many local authorities,” Cllr McCooey noted, “but we need to see more central government funding.”
She enquired if a shortfall situation had arisen before and asked what criteria determined what roads to be dropped if necessary.
Cllr McCooey added that she has been receiving daily complaints about the number of potholes in the road through Scotstown village. “I appreciate this road is in our programme for next year, but can we look at a different approach so repairs can be expedited?” she asked.
“There is a shortfall and we are looking at our options,” Mr O’Connor confirmed. He said the Council will try to get the roads programme for this year completed as planned, and if there is an overspend this could be taken from next year’s funding.
“It is not an ideal situation,” he told the meeting. “We are optimistic we will get the 2026 programme completed, but if we are significantly overspent and, if funding does not increase next year, we will be in the same position then.”
Cllr Noel Keelan proposed that the Council seek a meeting with Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien to petition him for additional roads funding.
Commending the work the Roads Section is doing with very limited resources, Cllr Keelan branded the regional road from Carrickmacross to Shercock “not fit for purpose”, referring to “countless accidents” on the stretch and the high number of HGVs traversing it daily.
“There are over 300 complaints about roads on the books of the Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District at present,” he added, “and I am getting calls from elderly and vulnerable people telling me that Local Link buses are refusing to drive on some of the local roads. Carers have also told me about their vehicles being damaged because of the very bad roads.”
Cllr Keelan said 50-60% of the cost of fuel goes to the Government in taxes but rural ratepayers and property taxpayers aren’t seeing a return from this in roads investment.
His proposal that a meeting be sought with the Transport Minister was seconded by Cllr Sinéad Flynn (SF) and agreed.