RURAL roads in the Kilmallock area are impassable because of damage caused by heavy rainfall, Limerick County Council heard last week. Kilmallock area Councillor Eddie Ryan (FF) was calling on Limerick County Council to provide emergency funding for the roads in the southeast of the Kilmallock area and he suggested that the €498,000 needed for the work could be provided from the Council’s €9.5 million overdraft.
Cllr Mike Houlihan said that some residents were unable to access their farms due to the condition of the roads.
“Rainfall has destroyed these roads and it’s our responsibility to provide proper roads for these people who are paying tax on their cars and on their machinery,” remarked Cllr Mike Donegan.
Stating that it was a countywide problem, Councillor Michael Collins said he’d met people who were quite angry. “They’ve paid the household charge, and now they’ll be paying property tax; people in rural County Limerick feel like they’re getting nothing in return”, he said.
Councillor Bill O’Donnell commented: “We have a unique situation in the Kilmallock area. You have three mountain ranges, it’s very unique terrrain and it should be identified as such. If it is identified as needing additional funding then I think we should get it.
“There are roads in the Galtee Mountains that are impassable. Every road in the county should be passable. It’s a dire situation for people in that area. The fire brigade use that area as a training ground and they couldn’t get up those roads.”
County secretary Eugene Griffin said that the overdraft facility can only be used to cover a cashflow shortage. “Most of the affected roads have been included in the multi-annual roads programme 2013 to 2016. Roads not included in the programme may have to be addressed from other sources”, he said.
Director of services Paul Crowe said that some of the affected roads are included in the 2013 programme and that the Council was awaiting details of the Community Employment scheme that would “supplement the amount of bodies available for road maintenance”.
