Galway City needs a dedicated footpath crew that can work year-round on the maintenance and improvement of all our public footpaths, according to Sinn Fein local election candidate Mark Lohan.
He revealed that each year the city pays out compensation settlements due to falls and the liability insurance goes up every year.
“A private contractor doing piecemeal repairs doesn’t cut it anymore. Residents deserve safe clear and usable footpaths. No one should walk our footpaths and face unnecessary risks for falling due to poor repair,” he said.
“Its time to have a dedicated crew of direct hired workers made up of journeypersons and apprentices. This would be a cost saving measure and give the city a way to repair and maintain services more efficiently.
Mark Lohan said that footpaths across our city should be, at the very least, in good and safe working order.
“Time and again we see worn and broken paths on our streets and in our housing estates. Currently this work is done by a private contractor on a project-by-project system which is funded when the budget allows.
“This sets up our neighbourhoods in competition with each other for what is a basic service responsibility of the local authority. Areas should not have to wait over other areas to have their footpaths maintained and fixed,” he said, adding that a dedicated crew made up of trade persons and apprentices would be more cost effective for our city.
He said that by removing the private contractor, who had to bid for the job with materials, wages, VAT and profit margin factored in, the city is not getting the best value for its money.
“A fulltime footpath crew would be kept busy year-round and there would be no shortage of work for them. They would ensure that our public paths are in top shape, and this would have an additional payoff in reduced falls due to unrepaired cracks and potholes. This would end up reducing the annual payout the council makes for these falls. The reduction in those compensation payments will also reduce the liability insurance payments.
“This can be a win all round for the rate payers, the city council and most importantly, residents. The creation of decent paying union jobs is an added benefit to those who are hired. It should be an imperative of good local government to cost out the creation of this crew. I will make it a priority, if elected to the city council this year, to fully review this plan and work on its implementation,” he concluded.
