Concern at shortage of workers to repair roads

Street and beach cleaning may be outsourced by Cork County Council as officials “toy with the idea” of concentrating more outdoor staff into maintaining 12,000km of roads, parts of which are in a serious state of deterioration.

Fine Gael councillor Michael Hegarty said there were major problems with the council’s ability to keep roads in good order.

“Due to the nature of the work there is a higher level of absenteeism. Most of these workers are 50-years-old and upwards and there is a lot of long-term sick leave,” Cllr Hegarty claimed.