Donegal's island accommodation roads must be taken over

Founder of the Donegal County Council's islands committee, a former councillor, Seamus Rodgers, has called for an even distribution of the €2.09 million for upgrades to island roads which was announced today.

The Annagry man, who is the Labour Party representative in the Glenties Municipal District, said he welcomed the money but wanted to make sure that all-important accommodation roads were improved and taken over by the council.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today announced that a total of 14 road projects are being funded on Arranmore, Tory, Inisbofin, and Gola Island.

The announcement follows an agreement between the Department of Rural and Community Development and Donegal County Council in relation to the upgrades of various roads on Donegal islands.

To date, roads on the islands have suffered neglect because they were not under the remit of the council and therefore did not qualify for certain funding streams.

As part of this agreement, Donegal County Council has agreed to take charge of the roads once the works are complete with 100% of the costs being incurred by the Department of Rural and Community Development.

The projects themselves include resurfacing drainage and other ancillary works on various road projects across the islands.

Mr Rodgers the accommodation roads were now as busy as the county roads on the islands.

"It is essential that road users on the islands are catered for. Accommodation roads need to be brought up to standard due to the volume of cars coming in from the mainland.

"The council must now take over these roads when the work is completed," he said.