€2.7 million allocated for major Kilkenny road project

Funding of €2.7 million has been included in a total roads budget of more than €9 million for the Callan Thomastown municipal district, it has been confirmed to local councillors.

The funding has been allocated to the 2024 programme of works in the district but local councillors have described the lack of budget increase as “a disgrace.”

Presenting the budget, at the March meeting of Callan Thomastown municipal district councillors, Area Engineer Declan Murphy said that the plan included over €3 million for Restoration Improvement works, almost €900,000 for Restoration Maintenance works and €477,000 for routine maintenance of regional and local roads.
significant

District chairperson Cllr Deirdre Cullen said the funding was significant and was “essentially for everyone to get where they need to get.”

She called for increased funding to the CIS, LIS and Low Cost Safety schemes.
“For the size of the district and the amount of roads we have, I don’t believe it’s enough,” Cllr Cullen said of the overall allocation.
She wished Mr Murphy the best with the budget.

“In terms of funding we are going backwards,” Cllr Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere said.
“€9 million is a disgrace for this municipal district. The staff are amazing for what they are doing but we are having to ask them to do more with less.”
Cllr Cleere said the government “have to cough up” and described the current funding as “piece-meal” and a “disgrace.”

Mr Murphy agreed that roads funding ‘hasn’t gone down but hasn’t gone up’ this year while the cost of materials has gone up. Even though the council is being granted the same money they are not getting as much out of it. While the money is staying the same the council is getting less done and the roads are getting worse, he said.
Mr Murpy said it has been a harsh winter for roads and the weather causes deterioration.

Under this year’s roads programme in the district money has been allocated to Low Cost Safety Schemes (in Kells, Bennettsbridge and Ballymac Cross), the Community Involvement Scheme, Bridge Rehabilitation (including Callan, Lavistown Bridge, Kyle Bridge, Ballyinch Bridge and Ferrymount Bridge) and Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Works.

In January councillors were told that detailed design is underway for works along the Callan bypass. It is hoped to improve pedestrian and cycling facilities along the N76 bordering the town.
A Pavement Assessment Renewal Repair (PARR) report was submitted to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in December and has been formally approved by the body.
The road project is now in a ‘detailed design’ phase. Tender documents will be ready in the coming months.