Minister McHugh had lobbied his party colleagues for the funding
THE Government has released funds today for a new link road in Letterkenny.
Fine Gael Minister of State Joe McHugh said: “It has just been confirmed today, Tuesday 19 January 2016, by the Minister of State for Housing and Planning Strategy, Paudie Coffey TD, that €2 million funding has been allocated for the construction of the Joe Bonner link road and the Social Enterprise Building.
“This funding is greatly welcomed as this is a priority project for the Donegal County Council, with the construction of the linkage opening up of significant parcels of land zoned for the town-centre. It is expected that it will also increase the permeability between areas of high activity within the town.
“The Joe Bonner road would see the linking of the Neil T. Blaney road and the Port road, two of the main arteries within the town, both bordering large sections of town-centre land that has not been developed fully to date. The key aims would be to increase opportunities to provide employment in the town and also to lessen car usage through the provision of increased safe pedestrian and walking infrastructure options.
“It is proposed that the Social Enterprise building will have a floor area of approximately 1400 Sq M over a number of floors. The viability of the site for the Social Enterprise building will be facilitated by the construction of the Joe Bonner Road, highlighting the need for integration between these two aspects of the proposal.
“The Social Enterprise Building project aims to create a communal space that will house some of the key community and voluntary sector groupings currently based in the town. The economic downturn has placed an increasingly heavy burden on community and voluntary groups to locate suitable and affordable premises and much of the onus for facilitating this has been directed towards the Local Authority.
“I am also meeting with IBEC North West today to listen to their views on the allocation of €13m to road maintenance in Donegal which was announced in December, and the further requirements for the upgrade of the N56/N14 Letterkenny Relief Road and the N14 Manorcunningham Roundabout to Strabane roads, as well as the Infrastructure and Capital Investment plan 2016-2021 and the planned mid-term review.”
