This article is from page 17 of the 2007-03-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
THE transport infrastructure in towns and villages in rural Clare has fallen into disrepair due to years of neglect.
That was the picture painted at last night’s monthly meeting of Clare County Council. Independent coun- ATE Key en Ol eve AA Orel a stem ec iNce MA elem t(on He called for the council to provide an inventory of the towns and vil- lages in north, west, and east Clare Where road surfacing and footpath improvements have ceased for the
past two to three years in anticipa- tion of new or upgraded sewerage schemes.
It was revealed that more than 15 areas across the county missed out on works while only a handful have been approved for works pro- grammes. However, work has not yet taken place in any of the towns or villages listed.
The Department of the Environ- ment is reluctant to grant foreshore licenses to proposed sewerage schemes in coastal communities and this is one reason for the delay.
Cllr Curtin said people living in rural areas were becoming increas- ingly frustrated.
‘The delay is causing huge difficul- ties. There has been no work carried out in Mullagh for over 25 years. There has been no improvement car- ried out in Miltown Malbay for four or five years. People understand there will be a delay, but that delay is undue. Inertia is creating an undue delay.”
Clir Joe Arkins (FG) said the situ- ation in some areas was a disgrace. “We have a situation in some towns and villages where footpaths are not
being maintained because of immi- nent sewerage schemes – if only we knew what imminent meant. The footpath from Miltown Malbay to- wards Spanish Point is an absolute disgrace.”
Cllr Michael Kelly (FE) said, ‘These services are needed if devel- opment is to take place. This is sti- fling development.”
Cllr Bernard Hanrahan (FF) said, “We are waiting on a sewerage scheme in Clarecastle. I don’t see any reason why this should hold up work on a footpath.”
Senior Engineer Walter Walsh ac- knowledges the council’s frustration. He said, “I can understand there is frustration out there. We are too frustrated too; we will talk to the en- gineer. But we must be prudent in the way we spend the money. It wouldn’t look too good, from a public rela- tions point of view, if we carried out repair works to roads and footpaths, only for us to go back a year later and Ch Tem detosenmel oy
“We have to strike a balance. I can say though, that we are more than anxious to advance these schemes.”