A strategic development fund of €55,000 will be allocated to each of Kerry’s five Municipal Districts.
Councillors from each of the five areas met recently to consider the draft budgetary plan for their MD.
€275,000 will be evenly split between the county’s Municipal Districts; this allocation provides a commitment to provide match funding for local projects.
Kerry’s five Municipal Districts are the Listowel MD, Tralee MD, Killarney MD, Castleisland and Corca Dhuibhne MD and the Kenmare MD.
The councillors heard the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the council’s finances this year.
They were also told the uncertainty of Central Government supports for 2021 and the ongoing financial impact of the pandemic presents exceptional challenges to the overall balancing of the draft budget 2021.
This strategic development fund will be used to progress a range of projects throughout the county.
In the Killarney MD this will progress the Flesk walkway and cycleway, an access road to Torc mountain, Kerry Music Education Partnership and for Killcummin village enhancement works, while in the Tralee MD it will go towards progressing the Tralee-Fenit Greenway, a skateboard park, Kerry Music Education Partnership and the Ballyseedy Amenity project.
In the Castleisland and Corca Dhuibhne MD, the strategic development fund will go towards the Firies Food Hub, Milltown Development Plan, Kerry Music Education Partnership, the urban connectivity project and the Inch amenity area.
The fund will progress the Portmagee TVR Undergrounding project, Waterville Town and Village project, Killorglin Sunhill project, Glenbeigh Outdoor Recreation project, Kerry Music Education Partnership and Cahersiveen RRDF in the Kenmare MD, while in the Listowel MD it will help progress the North Kerry Greenway, Listowel Food Hub, Kerry Music Education Partnership and Ballybunion Beach Service Centre.
The final allocations for the Community Support Fund and the Councillors Specific MD Operations Fund will be considered at the Draft Local Authority Budget meeting in November.
