GOVERNMENT Minister Joe McHugh has hit back over claims Donegal had been ‘excluded’ over an €18M storm fund to fix roads in the country.
Transport Minister Shane Ross today dished out funds ranging from €150,000 to €1M to local councils, with the bulk of funding given to councils in Leinster and Munster which had to deal with the fall-out from weeks of snowfall.
Opposition TDs had claimed Donegal had been deliberately excluded.
McHugh, the new Education Minister, took to social media to hit back.
“Folks, some commentary out there today on an €18M roads fund announced by Minister Ross,” said Mr McHugh.
“Just to be absolutely clear – this funding was for roads damaged in storms like Storm Emma (the Beast from the East) this year. Donegal County Council didn’t apply for funding. As you all know our county escaped the worst of that storm and others.”
Joe McHugh TD, Minister for Education and Skills
Minister McHugh added: “When we did suffer – in 2017 – Government allocated €15M to Donegal, mostly to Inishowen after the flood.
“For the record Donegal received the biggest allocation of funding in the country for roads in 2018, some €80M. And anyone who is out and about will see that money being spent in places like Mountcharles, Glenties and Bluebanks. #facts”
Earlier Minister Ross had explained the funding.
Minister Ross said: “In deciding on the allocations I was very conscious of the fact that in certain areas of the country the fabric of the regional and local road network has suffered significant damage as a result of severe weather events and that in some cases local authorities have been faced with damage caused by repeated severe weather incidents.
“I am pleased to be able to provide additional funding support of €15m to assist local authorities in progressing repairs to affected regional and local roads before year end.”
Extreme weather events over the last year, such as Storm Eleanor, Storm Emma, flooding incidents and the summer drought have had a major impact on the regional and local road network. These events combined with the extended period of reduced funding for road maintenance following the economic downturn have left the road network much more vulnerable to damage.
In addition, a €3m allocation is being provided to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to assist with winter operations and maintenance works on national roads. TII assists local authorities with maintenance funding for national roads.
Minister Ross concluded: “This additional funding boosts the regional and local road budget in 2018 from €417m to €432m which represents an increase of 33% on the 2017 investment. I would also like to emphasise once again that I consider that local authorities are best placed to assess priorities within their areas and to decide their work programmes.
“I further wish to explain that these grants are to supplement local authorities own resources expenditure on regional and local roads and do not represent the total investment in regional and local roads for this year.”
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