Extra shoes needed to walk on bad roads!

January 2005

THE poor condition of some ‘ third class’ roads is highlighted at a meeting of Louth county council.

One is so bad that a man living on it has to bring a second pair of shoes when going to Mass!

Cllr Jim Lennon says the individual has to wear one pair to get from his house to the end of the road, and then change into the other before going to the church.

Cllr Tomás Sharkey complains that people living on these roads are being asked to co-finance repairs, something that those on first and second class roads don’t have to do.

‘I don’t believe there is any equality in that,’ he adds.

Cllr Declan Breathnach says he only supported the Estimates on the condition that these roads get a scheme of priority.

He criticises the application form devised by the council’s social inclusion unit for people seeking help with funding for third class routes as being far too complicated.

Bearing in mind that the local authority is collecting development and road contribution levies from people building houses on such roads, Cllr Breathnach feels the least the council could do is spend the money collected on these roads.

Director of service, Joan Martin, remarks the reality of the situation is that there is never enough money to repair all the class three roads.

A 50/50 scheme is brought in to give some funds to these roads, and the council attempted a new scheme for residents who didn’t have a lot of money.

If the council decides to spend funds on class three roads, Ms Martin explains, it will not have finance for more trafficked routes.