The 2026 Road Works Programme in Mayo will be reduced by at least 30% because rising oil and transport costs are linked to the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Councillors expressed frustration, saying the original road budget was already insufficient for local needs before the reduction. They called for additional central Government funding and raised concerns about public spending priorities, including foreign aid and Government projects. Other councillors urged keeping the debate non-divisive and pointed to international factors outside Government control, including disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and actions by US and Israeli leadership. The Senior Executive Engineer confirmed the programme has started, tender returns were about 30% higher than expected, and the Department of Transport will not provide additional road funding.
"The 2026 Road Works Programme in Mayo will be cut by a minimum of 30pc, amid rising oil and transport costs linked to the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz."
"Senior Executive Engineer Heather Gibbons told councillors that the road works programme has commenced across the municipal district, but said tender returns had come in around 30pc higher than anticipated. Ms Gibbons informed the council that the programme will be cut "by at least 30pc" and said the situation will be monitored as it progresses into the summer."
"She also confirmed that the Department of Transport has said there will be no additional funding allocated to the county for roads. "It is a scenario outside the control of the municipal district, and we have to work to the budget we have been allocated by the Department," she said."
"Councillors voiced their frustration at the scale of the cutback, arguing that the original road budget allocation was already insufficient to meet local needs even before the reduction. They called for additional funding from central Government to bridge the shortfall, while also raising wider concerns about public spending priorities, including foreign aid and expenditure on Government projects."
#road-infrastructure #budget-cuts #strait-of-hormuz #transport-and-oil-costs #local-government-funding
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