A severely potholed road in Moynalty

Roads group threatens legal action

Furious roads campaigners are planning to take legal action against Meath County Council over the condition of rural routes across north Meath.

The move comes as the local authority prepares to spend over €5million on fixing some of the regions most potholed roads, which have left some rural residents virtually isolated in their own homes.

The Better Roads for North Meath Campaign has vowed to fight their campaign all the way to the European Courts of Justice if necessary, as it ramps up its campaign about unsafe road conditions in the north of the county.
The campaign is preparing to take legal action against Meath County Council and has called on all households suffering the brunt of the roads crisis to make formal complaints about unsafe roads to the council, and also claims for any damage caused to vehicles.

The news comes as the council is about to embark on a €5.6million programme of road improvements and repairs in north Meath, but campaign chairman, John Guirke, points out that this isn’t nearly enough as a council engineer has already indicated that at least €18 million is needed to fix the roads in the Kells electoral area.
The Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Cllr John V Farrelly, warned however that if legal action is taken, the council will be put to the expense of defending their position and this money would be better used elsewhere.
He  pointed out that a major programme of road works was currently being put in place across 60 roads and cul de sacs in North Meath and accused the campaign chairman, John Guirke, a Sinn Fein candidate in the local elections of “looking for votes prior to the eleciton.”
Cllr Sean Drew said he was fully behind the North Meath Campaign to have the roads repaired and re-instated but had reservations over their legal campaign.
“I think this would be a costly and lengthy process and I would advise some other course of action
“The roads are in a deplorable condition and I will be examining council finances to see how money could be found to carry out the work.
“I believe the roads need work now and going the legal route would too long and I would be afraid it would be very costlty,” he said.
However the legal campaign was supported by Workers Party election candidate Seamus McDonagh, who urged the people of North Meath to keep the pressure on the council and the government.