Fermoy Town Council charge NRA with reneging on funding promise
Members of Fermoy Town Council reacted angrily to a letter from the NRA at their monthly meeting last week. The letter advised, emphatically, that there would be no further funding for resurfacing roads and doing footpaths from McCurtain Street to the Dublin Road.
The funding was originally promised by the NRA to fix up the streets and footpaths in that area following the opening of the bypass.
Cllr Seamus Coleman asked if the picture that was painted for them by the NRA post bypass had all been a fiction of their imagination. Mayor Olive Corcoran asked if it was money promised for repair works for streets left in a bad condition. That met with a resounding 'no' from members who reminded her the money was promised to bring the main thoroughfare in the town up to a high standard once the byass was open.
Town clerk Pauline Moriarty, told them they'd written to senior council official Tom Stritch at the time and he committed to redesigning Pearse Square. "If the funding becomes available maybe we should concentrate on that," she said. "But we have a plan," Cllrs Coleman and Tadhg O'Donovan insisted. The town clerk pointed out that they hadn't got planning for it.
"This is years going on. We should get a meeting with them (the NRA)," Cllr O'Donovan argued. "I want the NRA to meet with our TDs, the mayor and some of our members to ask them, where is phase 2 and 3 that was promised?"
Cllr Michael Hanley said he agreed whole-heartedly. "I'm 100% sure of what I heard." Cllr Noel McCarthy also agreed. "Why do phase 1 if there was not a committment to do phases 2 and 3? We were given false information. The NRA had the cheek to say they spent the money on other projects. I don't begrudge those other areas but Fermoy should be done too."
Cllr Coleman said they were getting a different story now from the NRA, that they didn't commit the funding in the first place.
"I agree. I think it's a disgrace the way the NRA has acted," Cllr Pa O'Driscoll said.
The town clerk told them, if they could find proof of such meetings, they could revisit the matter. Cllr Coleman told her Mr Stritch had attended while Cllr John Murphy pointed out that they were 'all united on the matter'. He said they should seek the meeting with the NRA, with TDs and their mayor and a deputaton of members attending. It was agreed to do so.
Published:
Friday 28th February 9:11am
