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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Uisce Éireann
Cllr Paddy O'Rourke asked the Ballinamore municipal district to engage with Uisce Éireann to repair the L54981 at Ardrum saying the road serves the reservoir along with a good number of family homes who have seen their road taken "quite a hammering due to the increase in the traffic which is associated with the reservoir".
Cllr O'Rourke said: "They don't seem to take any responsibility for any of this and I'm wondering if there is anything you could do to bring them to heel."
The official response said that the road has "little Uisce Éireann traffic and the road has HGV traffic associated with agriculture. This is a public cul de sac and is currently on the community involvement scheme (CIS) list for restoration. As it is a public road, we will carry out routine maintenance."
Leitrim County Council District Engineer, Darragh O'Boyle responded that he believed it was "a wee bit unfair to blame Uisce Éireann for the damage" before Cllr O'Rourke intejected by saying that "I don't blame them totally but they did contribute."Mr O'Boyle said that there is heavy agricultural traffic using that road and "that's what's causing the damage."
He said that it was hoped to successfully secure CIS funding for the road and that in the meantime, the council would maintain it as "best we can".
He said that if there are issues around the valves constructed by Uisce Éireann, "I will get in contact with them looking for some rebate."
He continued that the issue is further up the road, "the corners are gone off it, the drainage isn't working and there are a lot of verge issues; it's a major job that we could do under Community Involvement Schemes."
Mr O'Boyle said that there was the same amount of money for CIS projects as last year and there are two schemes per electoral area.
Cllr Brendan Barry supported the motion and said that Uisce Éireann "dug a trench up the centre of the road and it's bound to have had an effect on the rest of the road. If it was on the CIS scheme, could Uisce Éireann make a contribution to it."
Mr O'Boyle said that he would visit the location and that if there is damage where the trench was dug, "Uisce Éireann are obliged to repair that."
He added that the other long-term option is "if and when it arrives at the next CIS, we will talk to Uisce Éireann."
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