Council faces €2m bill for roads

KERRY County Council is faced with a €2 million bill for treating roads during the bad weather.

County manager Tom Curran also told yesterday’s council meeting, in Tralee, that cuts in other services this year may result unless the council is reimbursed by central government.

“We made a decision we would not scrimp on people’s safety over the last few weeks, but that may impact on what we can do during the year,” he emphasised.

A number of councillors called on government departments to meet the full cost of keeping 530km of roads passable.

Senior roads engineer, Ger MacNamara, said the spreading of salt and grit would cost €750,000; 3,500 tonnes of salt would cost €500,000; the transport of salt, €100,000, and staff costs would be €500,000.

He said an allocation from the National Roads Authority would have to be greatly increased.

Mr MacNamara also said there would be a large amount of residual damage to roads as a result of the inclement weather and an assessment of such damage had yet to be carried out.

Both officials and councillors paid tribute to the roads and water personnel who have been working day and night since the cold spell began prior to Christmas.

“These people were out gritting the roads late at night, or very early in the mornings, while most people were still in bed,” Mr Curran said.

He said the council was securing quantities of salt from sources in Cork, Waterford and Limerick and had managed to maintain a two-day reserve.