Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne has called on the Government to provide funding to repair roads across County Louth damaged during Storm Chandra earlier this year.
Speaking in the Dáil, the Louth and East Meath TD urged the Taoiseach to ensure Louth County Council receives the financial support it needs to carry out essential repairs, warning that further delays could leave communities facing additional disruption when future storms arrive.
Speaking after raising the matter directly with the Taoiseach, Deputy Byrne said “ I received a letter from the Director of Services for Operations in Louth County Council, which I did not expect, requesting that I raise the extensive road damage in Louth caused by Storm Chandra at the beginning of the year, with government and the relevant Ministers.
Louth County Council have committed €750,000 for urgent repairs and emergency interventions in order to reopen routes where possible, protect public safety, maintain access for communities and businesses, and prevent further deterioration of critical infrastructure.
“The Council recorded 69 road closures and 81 damaged road locations, with an estimated overall reinstatement requirement of approximately €3.681 million.
They have engaged with the correct government departments but still have not received confirmation of any of the needed funding being made available.
In Drogheda and South Louth alone, the Strand Road in Termonfeckin and Baltry, the Haymarket Dual Carriageway, Ballymakenny Road, Marsh Road, Dublin Road, and Pearse Park where I live, among many others are in dire need of repair.
Louth County Council who have always gone through the proper channels are reduced to asking TDs to publicise the need for central government to intervene and provide funding.
This damage was caused at the start of the year, the roads need to be fixed before the next storms hit, or roads could be closed, communities could be left isolated.
I asked the Taoiseach, to take this request seriously and liaise with the Minster for Ministers and Departments, including the Department of Transport and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to ensure Louth County Council receive the funding they need.
I was less than enthused with The Taoiseachs response that this was a general matter everywhere.
I have written to both the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government and the Department of Transport to follow up on this matter.
The government continuously brag about their budget surplus, so they should be well able to allocate the money needed to repair Louths storm damaged roads.
“I will continue to raise this until the funding is allocated”
