County’s capital spend cut by a third
DONEGAL’S capital budget for 2014 has been slashed by more than one third, according to a report complied by Donegal County Council.
The total estimated capital spend for the Council this year is €23,944,148 – more than €9 million less than 2013.
Last year, the capital expenditure came to €45.9 million, however this included €12.8 million in water services expenditure, which has since been taken over by Irish Water.
Of the €23.9 million budget for 2014, the majority, €10.3 million has been allocated for roads and marine projects – the most of which, €8.1m, was dedicated to National Primary and Secondary roads.
More than one million euro has been allocated to ‘general road improvements’ along the Wild Atlantic Way route, while €330,000 was given to marine services.
At the monthly meeting of county councillors in Lifford on Monday, councillors reacted angrily to the news that their capital expenditure budget was cut, with Labour councillor Martin Farren saying that the government implemented ‘too many, too severe measures too quickly’.
The Council’s Chief Executive, Seamus Neeley, said the ‘financial position’ at National level has impacted on the Council’s capital budget. He assured the councillors that they would work to source funding from individual capital programmes.
Buncrana councillor Nicholas Crossan raised concerns that the Cockhill Bridge was not included in the capital programme – despite a number of other bridges being included.
Similarly Burnfoot councillor John Ryan complained that Cockhill Bridge had been on the agenda for more than forty years.
He said he understood that the Cockhill Bridge was not on a National route but he suggested that the road should be upgraded as a National route in order to make the bridge part of NRA control.
“There have been several motions passed on Cockhill throughout the years and it’s time to act,” said Cllr. Ryan. “We have to ensure that funding can be sought and I think we should have the designation of the road changed to a National Primary Route.”
