‘Donegal's rural areas have limited public lighting and an absence of footpaths’

The issue of Donegal’s rural areas lacking in lighting and footpaths was raised by Councillor Denis McGee. 

The 100% Redress Party Councillor outlined that this impact on the safety and well-being of residents, calling for the council to engage with relevant stakeholders, such as TFI. 

“I ask the Council to explore and implement localised solutions to increase public lighting in isolated communities,” Cllr McGee said. “Improving public lighting in rural Donegal will significantly enhance safety, reduce isolation and improve quality of life for residents. 

“By tailoring our approach to local  conditions, we can ensure that our rural communities are safe and well supported.” 

According to Donegal County Council, each elected member is allocated €7,000  for public lights, which is designated through the Public Lights and Minor Infrastructure Fund. 

This fund is part of the council's budget, and each member can use their €7,000 share for public lighting projects or other minor infrastructure improvements in their area, under the limits of towns and villages, but not rural areas. 

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Councillor Tomás Sean Devine seconded the motion, saying that, “It's not just rural areas, it's towns as well. Last week I was in Ballymacool woods and it was dangerous due to the difficulty of seeing. There is a section of road - a couple of hundred yards - it's black, you would not see your hand in front of you. There are a couple of inches of leaves and people pushing prams at night, which is a dangerous handling. 

“The response that Denis got, about infrastructure funding, €7,000 funding, is not a lot.”

Donegal County Council will consider an updated policy at the next meeting in January. 

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