Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher has expressed his complete shock at the decision by Minister Shane Ross to omit Co Donegal from the list of counties which are set to receive additional roads funding for maintenance and roads improvements.
An additional €18 million in funding is to be allocated to 25 counties but Donegal is left of the funding list.
Deputy Gallagher said the announcement defies all logic and common sense as Donegal continues to be hard hit with storm damage and repairs are a continuous strain on council resources.
“Today’s announcement is on the pretext of ongoing road maintenance and road network upkeep, surely the Minister and Government are not under the illusion that there are no such issues in Donegal.
“But, not for the first time has this Government forgotten about Donegal when it comes to allocating state funding. Failing to allocate one single cent in funding to Donegal is unprecedented and smacks of an anti-Donegal approach in allocating funding by Minister Ross, it is self-evident further funding is urgently required for our roads,” said Deputy Gallagher.
He concluded by saying that it is time this Government treated Donegal as an equal amongst the other counties rather than the piecemeal approach they have adopted towards us as a county.
“I am calling on Minister to reconsider his earlier blunder and make a specific allocation for Donegal without further delay – we in Donegal require nothing more or less than our fair share of funding but that is something this Government has failed to do,” he added.
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