Funding of €25m for local and regional roads in Meath
Meath is to receive funding of €25.1m to improve local and national roads as part of a national investment programme of €658m announced by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, and Minister of State Jack Chambers yesterday.
This represents an increase of €32m in funding this year to allow approximately 2,640km of regional and local roads to be maintained to required standards and a further 2,160km to be strengthened to improve the overall road quality on the network.
Announcing this funding, Minister Ryan said: “My main priority in 2024 continues to be safety for all road users and key to that is the ongoing protection and renewal of the existing regional and local road network. Most of this funding is going towards restoring the network which is essential for maintaining social and economic connectivity, linking people and places across the country. Central to this is the need to ensure that the journeys that people take, whether it's a quick hop up the road or a longer trip, are as predictable as possible and as safe as possible.
“We are also allocating €16 million for 335 climate change adaptation projects to help future proof our roads. Projects to be completed in 2024 under the climate adaptation grant vary from seawall protection works at Malin Head, County Donegal to flooding alleviation works in Camross Oldtown, County Wexford.”
Minister Chambers added: “This is essential investment in our local and regional road network that will benefit towns, villages and communities up and down our country. This funding will enhance connectivity, support businesses and make it easier and safer for families to get to and from school, work and in their everyday activity. To improve road safety specifically, funding is being allocated to allow more than 250 safety projects to be carried out on the road network this year. These road safety schemes will target remedial measures to improve the overall safety of the road network for the benefit of all road users.
“In addition to measures like road safety awareness, policy reform and increased enforcement, engineering solutions are vital in reducing road deaths as well as instances of serious injury, and helping to create a safer transport environment for all.”
€50 million is being provided to progress a number of strategically important road projects, including projects identified for development under the National Development Plan.
Funding of €20 million is also being provided under the Specific Grant category for smaller scale road improvements. These grants comprise a mix of schemes, including bridgeworks, junction reconfiguration projects, together with schemes to alleviate traffic congestion in towns and improve access to centres of education, businesses and public transport.
Minister for Sport and Physical Education and local TD Thomas Byrne welcomed the news that Meath County Council is set to receive over €25 million over the coming year to improve both local and regional roads.
He said: “Our main priority in 2024 continues to be the protection and renewal of the existing regional and local road network because that is the one thing you don’t curtail. It makes more sense to protect and repair our roads quickly rather than letting them fall into more expensive disrepair.
“This is positive news for all road users in county Meath. Unfortunately the road network has taken quite a battering over recent months with bad weather. This allocation of funding will go a long way in addressing these problems.
Kells councillor Paul McCabe also welcomed the news saying: "This investment will allow us to repair, strengthen and maintain our roads across the region, ensuring they are fit for purpose. We are dedicating resources towards initiatives such as road repair, bridge rehabilitation, road safety measures, community engagement, drainage improvements, and climate change adaptation.
“Maintaining and improving our road network is crucial to sustaining and developing our local economies across rural Ireland. These roads are imperative for children getting to school and people getting to work safely."
Trim councillor Aisling Dempsey said: "I’m delighted to see many projects I’ve fought for over the years receive funding.
"Under the Climate Action Adaptation heading, resilience works in Robinstown will be undertaken; flood alleviation on the R148 Enfield, in Griffin Park and the L-8031 near Stoneyford Bridge are all really welcome. I have had numerous complaints and made countless reps on behalf of residents and drivers in these areas."