Funding boost for damaged roads

A surplus €1.1 million maintenance grant has been given to Cork under the roads programme from which the Kanturk Mallow municipal district will receive €125,000.

Jim Moloney of Cork County Council told councillors at the monthly Kanturk Mallow municipal district meeting that the money will be directed towards roads that were damaged during the very bad weather.

At the draft budgetary meeting, for 2019, held on Friday last, Mr Moloney said, as the region was hit by storms such as Ophelia and Emma, and then with the “very dry spell during the summer” it also had an effect on their roads.

“We applied for and got funding for Storm Ophelia and it covered the period up until May but then there wasn’t any funding but now the Department will give €1.1 million and that now means that the Kanturk and Mallow roads will get €125,000,” he said.

This extra funding will allow the council to undertake patching repairs.

“Minister Ring is set to give more funding soon for the Local Improvement Scheme and Cork County Council will get €700,000,” he said.

Cllr Gerard Murphy (FG) said they are receiving “two tranches” of funding this year and this must be welcomed.

Chairing the meeting, Cllr Gearoid Murphy (FF) said the €125,000 was greatly welcomed and he described the three year Roads Restoration Programme of €9.4 million as being “really excellent.”