Extra roads funding can be used for ‘killer’ stretch

An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, this week confirmed that the extra roads allocation funding awarded to County Galway can be used to build a footpath for a killer stretch of road in Connemara.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar announced last week that Galway County Council will receive an additional €3.4 million in funding for improvements to and the maintenance of local and regional roads in the county.

The minister’s statement indicated that the funding could be used for roads only and not be used for footpaths, such as this one in Connemara that claimed the lives of three people.

However, Mr Kenny indicated that the criteria for how the funding is spent were changed to allow the local authority the scope to carry out vital safety issues such as those needed at the road in Ros a’ Mhíl.

The latest victim of that particular stretch of road was 15-year-old Leah Feeney who died after being knocked down several weeks ago. Her parents, Noirín and Liam Feeney, have lent their voice to the campaign to have improvements carried out on the road, including a footpath and streetlights. They recently met with Mr Kenny and highlighted the safety issue.

Mr Kenny, following a Parliamentary Party meeting, raised the issue with Fine Gael Galway West TD, Seán Kyne, this week.

It appears now that the County Council won’t be using this money, however, and instead wish to proceed with the project through a FÁS scheme.

For more on this story, see the current issue of the Connacht Tribune