Fine Gael TD for Dublin North, Alan Farrell, has welcomed the increase in funding for Fingal County Council to help maintain roads over the coming winter months.
“I am very pleased to hear that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar, has allocated an extra €1.25 million to help local authorities around the country with winter maintenance and keeping roads clear during harsh weather. The total being allocated nationally comes to €11.25 million, with Fingal County Council set to receive €128,513 an increase of €14,279.
“The additional money being allocated this year is being made available thanks to savings within the Minister’s Department. Sixty thousand tonnes of salt is being directly purchased, which will be provided to local authorities on top of the supplies bought separately by the National Roads Authority. The extra €1.25 million will help to cover the cost of purchasing, transporting, storing and spreading salt, and other works associated with extreme weather conditions.
“This is a clear example of the Minister planning ahead, in a bid to avoid some of the delay and disruption experienced during the snow and ice earlier this year and late last year. Many local authorities clearly struggled to keep main routes clear and gritted, much to the disgruntlement and disappointment of local people.
“If reports this week are to be believed, it looks like we could be in for another harsh cold snap in the coming months. This time around, the Government is putting contingency plans in place now. This means local authorities will have the power to react to tough conditions quickly, which will hopefully greatly reduce the disruption and difficulty experienced by members of the public.”