Minister Ross urged to ring fence funding for rural roads

People living on and using the 850km of Class 3 rural roads in County Sligo are being discriminated against because of where they live.

Independent Councillor Margaret Gormley says that at the same time, they’re expected to pay motor tax, property tax, income tax, Universal Social Charge, septic tank charge and water charges.

“What are they getting in return? Nothing,” she told The Sligo Champion.

Cllr Gormley tabled a motion at this month’s Council meeting calling on the Minister for Transport, Tourism, & Sport Shane Ross and Minister for Community & Rural Affairs Michael Ring to ring fence funding for Class 3 roads in 2019.

“For the past nine years no funding whatsoever has come for Class 3 roads,” she said.

Last summer Minister Ross announced a Community Involvement Scheme whereby the people are requested to make a 15 per cent contribution of the overall cost of the work.

“These are public roads that are the responsibility of the council to maintain and for which the Government has a responsibility to provide funding to the local authority to do so. Why should people living and using these public roads be asked to pay?”

“This is yet another charge for people living in the rural area, a charge they cannot afford.