Pressure is on to fund Western Road
UP TO GOVERNMENT COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GET NEW ROAD FUNDED
“THE silence is deafening” from Government party Councillors in relation to funding for the Western Distributor Road.
That’s according to County Councillor Seamus Kilgannon who was speaking after hearing an update on the road’s progress.
Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady tabled a motion calling for a progress report. She was told by Director of Services Tom Kilfeather that the design was being updated and it was planned to have tender documents ready to go to tender by year end, “subject to ongoing funding.”
“I hear ‘ subject to funding’ - I hope that funding will remain in place because this is very important to the development of the whole area and on into Finisklin,” replied Cllr O’Grady.
Cllr Kilgannon said the first part of the new road from Finisklin was built eight or nine years ago after pressure from the IDA.
He said it had to be welcomed that it would be going to tender at the end of the year but it “would be a terrible situation” if Sligo was losing the opportunity to bring in business because it wasn’t built.
The road will run from Caltragh Round- about across open land to an IDA site at Oakfield and connect up with the new Finisklin road at Mitchell- Curley Park.
“The IDA say they can’t get access to the site. There is a move on for industry in this region so the sooner the road gets built the better,” said Cllr Kilgannon.
Mr Kilfeather added that the Council has asked the Government to also include funding for the Western Distributor Road, the N4, the N17 and the Eastern Garavogue Bridge in their review of Capital Funding this summer.
Cllr Kilgannon said that Councillors Hubert Keaney ( FG) and Marie Casserly ( Independent Alliance) had a “major stake” in influencing the Government for funding.
“It’s up to them. The silence is deafening. I thought people might be saying ‘ yes we’ll do it’,” he told the chamber. Cllr Keaney said “We’ll do all we can.” “We’re right behind you,” said Cllr Kilgannon.
Council Chief Executive Ciarán Hayes appealed to all councillors to play a role in lobbying the Government for funding.
“This is critical for Sligo. It’s important that all sides will be on board. This is above party politics. This is extremely important for Sligo. We need support from across the board,” he told members.
Cllr O’Grady added: “It’s important no matter who delivers it, that it’s delivered for the development of the area.”