Councillors have proposed that a large portion of Galway County Council’s budget be set aside for roads within a 25 kilometre radius of the city – given that they are the routes most used by motorists.
But that’s against the backdrop of claims that the Athenry-Oranmore Municipal District contribute more than 20% of Local Property Tax to Galway County Council and yet only get 8% of the roads budget back every year.
Members of Galway County Council will now be asked to vote on a motion from Cllr Martina Kinane from Clarinbridge asking that the ‘lion’s share’ of the roads be spent within a 25 kilometre radius of Galway city.
Galway County Council allocate funding based on the volume of roads in each of the five municipal districts. In the Athenry-Oranmore Municipal District, it has the least volume of roads and therefore gets the least funding.
This has angered local councillors who consistently argue that it is probably the most trafficked of any of the municipal districts and therefore should get funding that reflects this.
Cllr Kinane said that she is determined to change the criteria for the allocation of roads funding and she is asking her colleagues in the Athenry-Oranmore Municipal District to put politics on the “back burner” and support her initiative. She said that she wants change to happen.
“It is widely acknowledged that the heavier traffic volumes are within 25km of Galway City and consequently regional and local roads in this area are under severe pressure
“The power in adjusting this anomaly is in the hands of the 39 members of Galway County Council and the tax payers of the Athenry-Oranmore Municipal District need to be made aware of this fact. I am advocating that all 39 councillors give serious consideration to my proposal,” the Fianna Fail councillor said.
However, it is unlikely that councillors representing parts of the county beyond the 25km radius will support a move that could potentially reduce their roads allocation.