Fine Gael TD for Limerick, Patrick O’Donovan, has welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar TD, that the Government has approved €10 million in funding for Limerick County Council for regional and local roads. This is part of an €333 million investment programme for 2014 aimed at improving and making safer our regional and local roads.
Patrick O’Donovan said that the allocation was important for communities across Co. Limerick because of the rural nature of the county and the amount of local and regional roads that criss-cross Limerick.
“The recent bad winter weather has caused a great deal of problems for local authorities with damage being caused to our road network, however this allocation will go some way to ensuring that the good work that has been done over many years can be maintained.”
Patrick O’Donovan welcomed the Minister’s commitment to the Local Improvement Scheme initiative which allows local authorities to set aside certain proportions of their allocations for work on private roads in rural areas. However he said that he would continue to impress upon the Minister the need for separate allocations for LIS from central government to reflect the importance of these roads across the country and he said that he would be raising the issue with the Minister again in the Dáil.
Patrick O’Donovan concluded his remarks by saying that he works very closely with the Fine Gael members of Limerick County Council to ensure that the issues which they encounter are raised with Government and he would continue to do so.
