Clarity sought over unspent Mayo local roads funding

CASTLEBAR councillors have requested clarity over reports that €200,000 in Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) roads funding was unspent and returned in their district.

The matter was first raised at a Westport-Belmullet Municipal District (MD) meeting this week, where councillors were unhappy that funding wasn't sent elsewhere in the county to improve local rural roads.

Councillor Johnny O'Malley highlighted a sum 'something like €200,000' being returned to the department, saying there should be enquiries as to why it happened.

As it is, the scheme is 'a disaster', noted Councillor Gerry Coyle, with limited funding, so to think that money went back was 'beyond belief', he said.

When the Castlebar MD met yesterday (Wednesday), Councillor Harry Barrett asked for an update, saying he had read about the matter in an article in The Connaught Telegraph from the West Mayo MD. If it was the case with funding, councillors needed to be informed and given the opportunity to spend it, he said.

Councillor Michael Kilcoyne said the matter came up at the full monthly meeting of the council and he understands there is to be a report for their September meeting.

There was money returned, he said, as 'apparently they couldn't spend it.' And it wasn't the only money returned by the county council last year, he said.

Cathaoirleach Councillor Al McDonnell said no money should be going back.

It was another example of centralised government, he said, noting there was a time when they didn't have to send a list up to Dublin.

Senior engineer Pat McHale explained that LIS is for roads that haven't been taken in charge by the council.

A list of primary schemes is collated, as well as a secondary list, which are sent to the department for approval.

If the primary list is exhausted or schemes drop off it, the council goes back to the department for approval on the secondary list.

He could not say if the figure of €200,000 is correct or not, not having had time to enquire into the matter, but from what he knew it would not be any where near the amount of money for the MD.

He knew that last year three small LIS schemes did not proceed. There can be various reasons, he explained, such as a land owner won't sign in or make a funding contribution.

If they don't progress, the council goes to the secondary list and the department for approval.

Noting a report is due in September, Councillor Kilcoyne said he thought the fault rests with the department as they hadn't approved the secondary list.