Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 12 Dec 1991

Vol. 414 No. 6

Adjournment Debate. - Environmental Matters.

Mr. Creed

I wish to thank you, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to raise an important local issue. However, let me say at the outset that I am extremely disappointed that the Minister for the Environment or the Minister of State are not present. It begs the question whether this is merely an exercise in optics, some sort of democracy by charade. The Minister of State had no input into the reply he will be reading. I wonder if the points I am about to raise will be relayed to the Minister for the Environment. Perhaps the Minister of State could address this in his reply.

The public lighting in the town of Macroom is an absolute disgrace and it is high time that the Department of the Environment made a specific allocation of moneys available to rectify the situation. The poor lighting in the town is responsible for increasing the number of accidents in the town involving pedestrians being struck by passing cars. Poor lighting also facilitates increases in crime in the area; elderly people, in particular, living in badly lit areas are especially vulnerable. Poor lighting has the additional impact of presenting an image of stagnation and neglect in the town when in fact the opposite is the case.

The town is located on the N22 national primary route and therefore the responsibility rests fairly and squarely on the Department of the Environment to provide the necessary funds for this development. Villages east and west of Macroom — Lisarva to the east and the twin villages of Ballyvourney and Ballymakeera to the west — have had significant improvement in the provision of public lighting as a result of specific allocations from the Department of the Environment in recent years. Macroom, the capital of the Barony of Muskerry, is certainly the poor relation.

I want to remind the Minister briefly — I had hoped that the Minister or the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment would be present — that a commitment was given to a deputation from Macroom Urban District Council which I and my constituency colleague, Deputy Kelly, joined at the Minister of State's office. That deputation were given a commitment that these lights would be provided and the Minister agreed to provide the necessary funds in 1991. That promise was broken. The people of Macroom hope that the Minister will make amends in 1992.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. Flood)

At the outset let me say that I regret that my colleague, Deputy Connolly, Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, is unable to be here. Unfortunately, he is on other business that takes him away from the House. Though the messenger is different, I think the Deputy will find that the message is the same.

The provision of traffic route lighting on national routes when approved by the Department of the Environment is financed in full from State road grants. Public lighting on other routes in urban areas is financed from the local authority's own resources, supplemented by the block grant for roads. The need to upgrade the existing lighting on the national primary route through Macroom is recognised. In order to bring the lighting up to date, consideration will be given to the possibility of having the lighting replaced in 1992 as part of the ongoing programme to replace obsolete lanterns on national routes.

Mr. Hogan

The N25 from Waterford to New Ross is a very important route in the south-east. Major expenditure on this route will mean greater ease of access to the port of New Ross and to the international port of Rosslare. There is an urgent requirement for a bridge to be provided to facilitate animals and agricultural traffic at Milltown and a pedestrian bridge to facilitate the general public at Glenmore. Despite the public inquiry in 1984 into this project, sanction for these essential bridges in the interests of safety has not been forthcoming.

The general pattern and volume of traffic has increased substantially since the public inquiry and new solutions must be found to meet the situation. I acknowledge the Minister for the Environment's contribution of £110,000 and £100,000 for the bridges at Milltown and Glenmore respectively, but this has not met the approval of the engineers in the Department or in Kilkenny County Council from the point of view of a satisfactory design. Kilkenny County Council have agreed to provide £50,000 from their limited resources towards one of these projects, namely, the overhead bridge to facilitate pedestrians at Glenmore.

In the context of a project costing £13 million I appeal to the Minister for the Environment to take a personal interest in the matter and to resolve the impasse. It is crucial not only to road users but the landowners at Milltown and the people of Glenmore to have this matter finalised once and for all because the new road is due to open shortly. A number of resolutions, have been passed by Kilkenny County Council and a number of deputations have met the Minister. I am now making a final appeal to bring this matter to a head because it is in the interests of safety of children, young people and landholders among others to bring about a satisfactory outcome to this.

Mr. Flood

The Minister is aware of proposals for an overbridge at Milltown and a footbridge at Kill Lane, which Kilkenny County Council are seeking to provide in conjunction with the N25 Glenmore-New Ross road improvement scheme. His Department have advised Kilkenny County Council that both proposals are acceptable in principle and that road grants will be provided to meet a portion of the cost involved in each case.

In the case of the overbridge at Milltown, the grant would be limited to 50 per cent of the cost, or £110,000, whichever is the lesser. In the case of the footbridge at Kill Lane, the grant would be limited to the lesser of 50 per cent or £100,000.

On receipt of confirmation that the local authority are prepared to accept those conditions and propose to proceed with the works, the question of the allocation of the grants will be further considered.

I confirm to Deputy Hogan that I will convey his views as expressed in the House tonight directly to the Minister for the Environment.

The Dáil adjourned at 7.55 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Friday, 13 December, 1991.