Upgrade of Mayo road is 'going to cost millions'
Cllr Patsy O'Brien
Councillors in South Mayo have said it is imperative that the local authority uses the €1.2m it has received for the upgrade of the R332 between Kilmaine and Foxhall.
Cllr Damian Ryan told a meeting of Mayo Co Council's strategic policy committee (SPC) for roads that €1.2m had been allocated to the project last March but work has yet to commence. He said it is vital that the funding is used in 2025 and "no money returned to the Exchequer".
Cllr Patsy O’Brien described the R332 upgrade as "a huge project that would require year after year of funding".
“That road is going to cost millions. €750,000 worth of works was done last year and that is only the tip of the iceberg. There is 11km there with a lot of bad corners, walls and road frontage. I would say that project is at least €10m so we will be lobbying for this as a strategic road for the next ten years and we have to go back to the Department every year for money for it. We can’t be sending money back or no minister will ever take any heed of us again.”
The council's Acting Head of Roads Conrad Harley, said the local authority was working assiduously with the Department of Transport on the project.
“There are no surprises from the Department on anything we are doing out there. They have given agreement in relation to labour, to open up the scheme on site clearance and advance works."
Cllr Ryan raised the matter again the next day at the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District meeting, asking Director of Services Tom Gilligan for an update.
Mr Gilligan said a contractor won’t be appointed "until at least quarter four" of 2025.
"We want to use direct labour as much as we can, such as for tree felling and site clearing. The lads are on the ground now for this... but it will be difficult to spend the whole €1.2m allocation this year.”
Cllr Neil Cruise commented: “It will be a shocking scenario if we can’t use the funds handed down to us on this.”
