This article is from page 19 of the 2011-02-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 19 JPG
THE head of the National Roads Authority (NRA) has been challenged to come to Clare and explain his comments that the county’s road network is unsafe and had not been constructed in accordance with NRA guidelines.
Following a motion put forward by Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind), Clare County Council is to write to Fred Barry, CEO of the NRA, asking him to identify which roads in Clare he considers to be dangerous and which were not constructed in accordance to guidelines.
This follows comments made by Mr Barry earlier this year in which he appeared to question the quality of roadworks carried out in the county.
“If someone is saying that we are not following guidelines then there is something that should be taken seriously. The issue here is are we following the guidelines or are we not,” said Cllr McCarthy.
“To say that I was surprised and perplexed by the comment of the NRA would be putting it mildly. He should be communicating directly with the council [and not speaking through the media].
“He even goes on to question whether we are following the guidelines with regards to roadworks.
“We follow the guidelines as set out by the department and we only have the funding to complete the roads which are funded by the Department of the Environment.
“We need to know, if he is to make these charge, that he can identified parts of the county where the roads are deficient. We cannot have people using unsafe roads and that [Mr Barry’s comment] is the message that some of our roads are unsafe. It is grand to make statements but you have to back it up with facts.”
Cllr McCarthy motion did not get the unanimous support of the councillors with Cllr Gerry Flynn (Ind) agreeing with Mr Barry, saying that the roads in the county are sub-standard.
“I would not disagree with Mr Barry. I don’t think that he stated untruths. He also says that there was an inadequacy of finding to the council. The council probably do the best they can with the money that they have. But I don’t see anything that he says as being untrue and maybe it is good that they lay it out like that,” said Cllr Flynn.
Commenting on the motion Cllr Michael Kelly (FF) said that “the NRA have been very active in telling us what to do. I think the NRA should be more active in securing the money to let us do it.”