Councillors fight to have north Wexford’s roads repaired by crews – ‘Some people consider them to be in Wicklow, but they’re not’

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

Despite what some may think, the people of Coolgreany and Ballyfad are as much a part of Wexford as those in the heart of the county and their roads are just as important. Representing those people for what he estimated was the 19th time, Councillor Nicky Boland said there were six roads in his Gorey district which had repeatedly ignored by the councils’s road crews.

“None of them are included in the list of works for this year,” he said at the March meeting of Wexford County Council (WCC). “I wonder has the senior engineer ever been up that way at all, could they at least be looked at?”

Cllr Boland received support from Cathaoirleach Joe Sullivan.

“The people up there feel disaffected because of how north they are in the county,” he said. “They feel forgotten about, some people consider them to be in Co Wicklow, but they are proud Wexford people. What Cllr Boland said is no exaggeration, he’s actually been very reserved in his contribution there.”

Explaining that the list of works is compiled by each district engineer, director of services Eamonn Hore said there were different tranches of funding available depending on how badly damaged the roads are. Complicating the issue yet further is that national roads receive funding irregardless of their condition.

“There were resurfacing works carried out on the Arklow to Gorey road and there wasn’t even any potholes on it,” said Cllr Anthony Donohue. “That money could have been used to carry out works on rural roads like the ones in Ballyfad.”