asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to (i) the serious condition of public roads in Country Donegal caused by the increased traffic flow from the mature forests in the county resulting in grave inconvenience to local people and (ii) the lack of necessary finance of the Council to repair the roads and the action he proposes to take to meet this situation which will deteriorate as more forests mature and as the resulting traffic increases.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Roads.
22.
While I am aware that the Donegal County Council have expressed concern in the matter of traffic generated by the existence of forests in the country I do not accept the implications of responsibility as expressed in the Deputy's question.
A considerable contribution in lieu of rates is paid on behalf of my Department in respect of occupation of land for State forestry purposes. My Department are prepared to discuss with the county council the question of encouraging heavy traffic, including traffic generated by forests, to use particular routes and so minimise the need for strengthening of roads.
Surely the Minister is aware that forests do a lot of damage to roads particularly when the forests are at the ends of those roads? Surely the Minister must also agree that it is only right that his Department should pay a contribution to the upkeep of those roads?
A lot of the traffic is generated by private contractors who use the forests and the roads in the vicinity to draw out their timber. We are quite prepared to talk to any county council, as we have done with Leitrim and Sligo, in the hope that we might confine heavy traffic to certain routes.
Is the Minister also prepared to pay grants to county councils who can prove that either the Forestry or their employees use these roads?
I am not.