The waiting list for the Local Improvement Scheme in Kerry is so long that people, who made applications for such works, will be dead before their road is completed.
That’s according to Independent councillors Brendan Cronin and Jackie Healy-Rae, who both brought motions on the scheme before Kerry County Council.
They stated with almost 690 roads on the list, it would take 32 years to complete them all at the current rate of funding.
Earlier this month, €790,000 was allocated to Kerry under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS); this will enable 16 roads to be completed.
The LIS funds repairs and improvement works on private, rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities.
Last year, two allocations amounting to over €1.4 million was allocated to Kerry; 23 roads were completed using this funding.
687 roads remain on the scheme; councillors understand a second allocation, similar to last year, will be announced later this year.
Cllr Brendan Cronin says under the current funding it will take around 32 years to get the current roads done; he says he’s aware of elderly people and others with complex medical issues that are now experiencing accessibility issues due to deteriorating roads.
Cllr Cronin is calling on the council’s roads department, the Department of Transport and the Department of Rural and Community Development to allocate substantial funding to address the waiting list; he says up to €4 million needs to be allocated each year for successive years to get the current list completed.
Meanwhile, Independent councillor Jackie-Healy-Rae told the meeting he shared Cllr Cronin’s concerns.
He was critical of Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and stated the Minister and his department needs to match funding to enable more works to be carried out, as the current 32-year wait is unacceptable.
Their calls were supported by fellow councillors.
