Cork areas waiting more than seven years for repairs to local roads 

More than 200 roads in Cork are awaiting repair under the local improvement scheme (LIS), with only 23 to be completed this year.

Government figures show that over the last eight years, an average of 33 roads were repaired a year in Cork at an average cost of nearly €50,000.

The LIS, funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development, provides funding to help local authorities carry out improvement works on private and non-publicly maintained roads.

Independent Ireland leader and TD for Cork South West, Michael Collins, asked in the Dáil how the department intends to address the estimated 4,000 roads nationally that remain outstanding under the scheme.

Backlog

Minister for rural and community development Dara Calleary said that he is working with the minister for public expenditure, “to ensure we have funding in place not only to continue the scheme but also to address the backlog”.

Mr Collins explained: “The problem is that the moneys coming into West Cork are not enough to go anywhere near what needs to be done.

“I know of people who have been waiting for seven or eight years.

“Some people who fill in the form pass away before they even get to see the roadway being done.”

Mr Calleary said that since 2017 Cork county has received €12.9m for the LIS, the third highest amount nationally, with Mr Collins pointing out: “Cork is the biggest county in Ireland, so we are way down the ladder if that is the case. There is not enough funding going into Co Cork, unfortunately, and the roads are not being done.”

Mr Calleary said: “I have figures that show that at the end of 2024, 175 roads in Cork were awaiting repair, 264 have been completed since 2017, and 23 will be done in 2025.

“The full allocation will be used. That gives the deputy a sense of the demand in Cork, but it is replicated across the country.”

Outstanding

A spokesperson for Cork County Council told The Echo that the amount of applications had increased, and there were currently 209 outstanding.

They said: “Cork County Council uses its complete allocation from the department each year and seeks to prioritise the roads in most need and those which will deliver the biggest return on the money invested. All the while, ensuring that each part of the county receives its fair share of the monies allocated in accordance with need.”