Councillors hold emergency meeting over underspend
There are concerns that more funding will be lost as Mayo Co Council is forced to return more than €200,000 in unspent money.
An emergency strategic policy committee (SPC) meeting of Mayo County Council was convened after the local authority returned to the State in the region of €235,000 it failed to spend.
The unscheduled-in-house meeting of the Roads and Sustainable Travel SPC took place amid issues with Local Improvement (LIS) funds and concerns over delays to a road project in the county.
“It shouldn’t be happening. We are crying out for funding for long enough and then when we get something of a reasonable nature we are sending it back. It’s not on,” said Cllr Damien Ryan who called for the special meeting.
Cllr Ryan said the estimated €235,000 in unspent LIS money has now been lost and there is a battle to ensure that figure does not rise.
“The total on the LIS is something in region of €235,000. That’s based on 2024. That’s not coming back, there is no point saying otherwise. We are at approximately €1.5m this year in LIS."
He said a formula has been put in place to try and ensure that none of that funding goes unspent.
Cllr Ryan said previously councillors would have had in place a schedule of schemes and if one failed then there was another to take its place on a supplementary list. He said that system will now be restored.
Cllr Ryan said he understands the primary cause of the LIS underspend was a failure to collect local contributions with some applicants withdrawing support after applying, leading to the collapse of certain schemes.
The South Mayo councillor remains concerned about the status of the R332 Kilmaine to Foxhall upgrade. A contractor has yet to be appointed and there are fears that €1.2m will have to be returned if the project is not delivered.
“This is simply too serious to let go. That €1.2m is the only strategic road grant for Mayo in 2025. I have been asking since March that the work go ahead in the summer months,” said Cllr Ryan.
He said he was shocked to learn in July that no contractor has been put in place and there is a risk that money would have to be returned to the Department.
“That to me is an absolute red-line matter. You cannot be going back to the Department cap in hand when you don’t spend what you got.”
