The state of the roads in county areas is so bad, a competition for the “worst roads in Galway would be very popular and there would be many justified entries”, according to Independent senator Fidelma Healy-Eames.
The senator’s comments follow meetings with residents from several areas, and she says roads in Creganna, Lydican, Gortadooey, Claregalway, Rathfee, Turloughmore; Annaghdown, Corrandulla, Oughterard, Rossaveal, Killoughter, Castlegar, Maree, and Kiltulla are “rapidly deteriorating”, having suffered damage with the recent heavy flooding. “It’s like stepping back to the eighties these roads are in such a poor state of repair,” she said.
Sen Healy-Eames said that when commercial rates was introduced, part of the money were meant to go towards the maintenance of roads. “Motor tax was introduced on the same pretext,” she added. “After that, massive planning contributions were imposed on every new house built to pay for local services. More recently we have the Local Property Tax, another tax which would supposedly help pay for road maintenance.”
She said it is puzzling therefore as to why local authorities are bereft of money for repairing local roadways. “One of the real problems with the roads network is that it is so easy for the Government to pass along the blame,” she said. “It’s the local authority’s fault or the NRA’s fault. Let’s be clear - the bucks stops with the Minister for Transport and the so-called ‘recovery’ Government. There has been a complete failure to deliver for rural Ireland.”
