BREAKING: Bumper €15.7 million funding for regional and local roads in Offaly announced

A bumper €15.7 million has been allocated in funding for regional and local roads in Offaly this afternoon.

The funding includes finance for works at Cappincur bridge, Moyclare bridge in Bemont, Carrig bridge in Kinnitty, Rahan bridge, the Barrow bridge in Portarlington, Five Roads culvert near Banaghe, Corraclevin culvert outside Dunkerrin, Clareen bridge, Ballycowan biridge, Kilcumber bridge near Edenderry and Pullough culvert.

Improvement works will be carried out on the Portarlington to Cloneygowan road at Derreen, at Cloneygowan itself, at River St in Clara an at Lissaniksa

Following the announcement, Offaly based Minister Pippa Hackett welcomed ”this funding which will support the protection and renewal of the existing regional and local road network across Offaly.

“We cannot underestimate the importance of maintaining roads for our social and economic activities; they are the physical link between people and the places they need to be for work, learning and play.”

She revealed that “Offaly is to receive €368,000 for five climate change adaptation projects to help future proof our roads and these are the R-445-2 Moneygall, R401-5  Coolygagan, Clonroosk Big, R420 Clara, R421 Arden Road and R436 Ballycumber. The county also receives a further €1m for the pilot scheme for the rehabilitation of roads over peat.”

“We all appreciate the importance of safety and €325,000 is allocated towards safety improvement on the local and regional roads in Offaly. These include improvements on the Portarlington to Cloneygowan road at Derreen, Portarlington to Geashill at Clonygowan,  River Street, Clara (East Approach) and along the R357 at Lissaniska. A further is €373,000 allocated to works on 11 bridges across the county including in Ferbane, Banagher, Kinnitty and Tullamore.”

Minister Hackett acknowledged Offaly faces particular challenges with Eour roads due to the peaty nature of much of our land but also the volume of renewable energy projects, which, while very necessary, lead to large volumes of construction traffic. This is particularly the case in North Offaly where I am working with local representatives to highlight the problems arising regarding local and regional roads to the Department of Transport. I will request that officials meet with local representatives and I will update on this in the near future.”

He Green Party colleague Cllr Mark Hackett welcomed the continued investment in the Edenderry Inner Relief Road.

“I am delighted that this project is progressing with an allocation, for Phase 2, of €2m. Phase 1 is already making a significant positive impact on traffic in Edenderry. I believe there is much to be positive about in the town with the completion of the Greenway, significant investment opportunity through the Failte Ireland Just Transition Fund, the progress of the Library and Arts Space project and I will continue to work with colleagues for the development of a new swimming pool.”