Road salt supplies start to run out

THE country is running out of salt to treat icy roads and is competing with EU neighbours for emergency supplies from North Africa.

Supplies of material to grit the country’s roads could come under pressure if there is an extended period of severe weather.

The National Roads Authority (NRA) last night confirmed it was using up to three the times the normal amount of salt used at this time of year to make roads safer.

While up to 40,000 tonnes of salt for roads were in the country last night, between 3,000-4,000 tonnes were now being used daily.

Up to 20,000 of the full amount of salt is stored in supply hubs around the country. But the NRA stressed that its officials were using the supplies to grit national primary and secondary roads while local authorities were also working on routes in front of hospitals and public services.

But an NRA spokesman added: “Not every road is going to be salted.”

Ireland is waiting on extra supplies of salt to be delivered from European importers and North Africa, the NRA said.

The shipments of salt are expected to take between a week and 10 days before they arrive on Irish shores.

But weather forecasters have predicted that the freezing conditions and heavy snowfall could continue until the middle of next week at the earliest.

NRA chief executive Fred Barry yesterday told a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport that half of the NRA’s salt supplies in stock at the start of the winter season had already been used up.

It means we have at most 11 days supply of salt left based on current usage until new supplies are sourced.