3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
‘Millions' required to bring rural Wexford's roads to a ‘reasonable state'
Initially, Wexford County Council (WCC) received €619,000 under the LIS for 2025, but an additional €560,298 has now been granted through central government bringing the annual total to €1,180,198.
New Ross councillor John Fleming has welcomed the additional funding and said it will be a 'huge benefit' to those living in the rural areas of his district.
'The New Ross Municipal District (NRMD) engineer completes two, maybe three, lanes a year depending on the length, and there's a waiting list of approximately 30 applicants,' he said. 'So you can see why this funding needs to be increased as soon as possible .This funding means we can get another couple of extra lanes completed next year .
"Local roads are a big issue for rural dwellers with pot holes and uneven surfaces damaging vehicles. Most of the calls I receive are about the condition of rural roads throughout the district and I can understand their frustration.'
Referencing roads in Springmount, Rathduff, Greenane, Ballywilliam, Ballycoheir, Killegney, and Knoxtown ,Cllr Fleming said the district engineer had an 'impossible task without more funding'.
Having recently had a motion to increase funding for the Community involvement Scheme (CIS) passed by WCC, Cllr Fleming said it was time Wexford received its fair share of money when it came to roads repairs.
'With the backing of our director of services, Eamonn Hore, I have put in a motion again asking the Government for extra funding and change how counties are allocated funding,' he said. 'The way in which this is done is not fair and equal as the counties with the worst roads like Wexford are not getting their fair share.
'I know WCC will have an increase in funding next year of a few million, but we need many more millions to bring our roads to a reasonable state.'
