asked the Minister for the Environment whether he is aware of the serious problem at the Square, Bantry, County Cork, which also affects the roads in the Bantry area, following the completion of the recent sewerage scheme; and whether he will provide the necessary moneys to enable the roads and other services in the Bantry area to be brought up to a reasonable standard.
Written Answers. - Bantry (County Cork) Services Improvement.
455.
In October, 1980, Cork (South) County Council advised my Department that the streets of Bantry required regrading and resurfacing due to a number of factors including excavations carried out as part of public water and sewerage schemes in Bantry; excavations carried out by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs; poor ground conditions beneath the surface dressing; and bad weather.
The Council propose to regrade and resurface the total width of the streets and roads rather than to simply reinstate the portion affected by sewer excavations only. A sum of £45,000 is included in the Bantry Sewerage Scheme contract to cover the cost of road works attributable to the sewerage scheme and may be financed from loans totalling £1,215,000 and already sanctioned for this scheme. The Council sought a special grant to cover the balance of the cost involved.
On 25th September, 1980 a supplementary grant of £30,000 was allocated to Cork County Council for strengthening the national secondary road (N71) from Bantry to Snave. It is understood that the full amount of the grant has been expended on the strengthening of the national secondary road in the town.
In the current year a grant of £120,000 has been determined for the improvement of the national secondary road from Bantry to Glengariff. Part of this grant will be used to improve the national secondary road through Bantry town up to a satisfactory standard. The financing of the remaining works on other roads in Bantry town is a matter for Cork County Council having regard to the finance available from the Council's own resources and from the block grant of £1.056 million made to the Council for 1981.