The members of Mayo County Council adopted the road works scheme for 2009 for the second time this year, when they approved the newly revised scheme for the year after over €8 million was cut from the Government funding for projects following the supplementary budget this year.
Cllr Michelle Mulherin, chairperson of the roads strategic policy committee, proposed the adoption of the scheme but with out prejudice and with reservations, as the council will be sending a delegation along with four other county councils to meet the Minister to try and get some more funding for projects released from central Government.
Cllr Mulherin also hit out at An Bord Pleanála for their delay in releasing the results of an oral hearing in relation to compulsory purchase orders for lands for the upgrade of the N26 between Ballina and Bohola. Cllr Mulherin told the meeting: “The oral hearing took place in February 2008 and 15 months later the recommendation has yet to be made. It’s unacceptable what is happening and it raises serious questions about An Bord Pleanála. I know for a fact that other applications to them for an extension of time have been refused by the board, yet they are applying different rules to themselves.” Cllr Mulherin went on to say that as far as she was concerned the works planned for the road were going nowhere because it suited the Government’s agenda that there would be no decision made on the hearing because the Government couldn’t afford it.
County engineer Joe Beirne agreed with the councillor that the situation was frustrating. He told the meeting: “ It is well out of time and is totally unacceptable,” and went on to say that the council has been in contact with An Bord Pleanála on a regular basis to see when a decision would be made
