Independent councillor Michael Holmes has hit out at the Government for its decision to slash the €200,000 it had allocated for upgrading the Castlebar to Belmullet road. The funding was granted in February of this year under the Strategic Regional and Roads Grant scheme. However the decision to cut it was announced only a matter of weeks later, in the 2009 Budget.
According to Cllr Holmes, this funding would have kick-started the development of the road, and encouraged growth in the area. “This money was allocated for planning, designing, and preparing the road for further work. It would have marked the first step in upgrading a route which has not received any worthwhile investment in the past 20 years. However, with this recent announcement, the development of the road is now put back by at least two or three years.”
Cllr Holmes outlined the reaction this news has caused: “The road currently lies in an absolutely deplorable state. I among others have lobbied hard for funding to upgrade it for the past 10 years. The Minister’s decision to renege on his promise is not only extremely disheartening for me as a county councillor, but is also particularly disappointing for the people who have to use this route to access hospitals, shops, and places of work.”
Cllr Holmes concluded by accusing the Government of demonstrating contempt for the people of northwest Mayo. “We were neglected in the good times, and now the first piece of significant funding we have been granted has been taken away. The Minister should be ashamed of himself for the complete disregard he has shown to the people of the area.”
