Mayo councillor demands progress on Achill bridges

A MAYO county councillor has questioned why there was no progress to apply for funding to upgrade the R319 near Cashel on Achill Island where three bridges are located.

Achill councillor Paul McNamara expressed his frustration that despite numerous accidents and collisions along the road an application for funding to upgrade the road has not been made to the Department of Transport.

The three bridges are located within a short distance of each other along the R319 at the entrance to the village of Cashel. A number of accidents have occurred along the road and the bridges have been hit a number of times and stones displaced.

Last month, the parapet of one of the bridges was knocked clean off landing up to 15 feet below in the river below after it was struck by a car.

Fianna Fáil councillor Paul McNamara has been vocal in his criticism at the lack of progress on the road. He said he recently showed the Minister of State Jack Chambers the location on his visit to Achill and claimed the Minister could not understand why funding had not been applied.

“I took the minister down and showed him the three bridges along with the gardaí and he could not understand how those bridges were not applied for funds. I took him down and walked the road with him and explained the amount of incidents at those bridges. The Gardaí explained their concerns and yet no priority was put on it. Why is that?

“I have asked for a survey to be done and an application to be made for the upgrade of these bridges and it has never happened. Why are things like that put on the long finger and why are they ignored totally,” he said.

Cllr McNamara said that there is not enough room for two cars to safely pass along the bridges and it is particularly dangerous for visitors to the island who do not know the location. He said he has asked Mayo County Council to apply for funding to upgrade the road as he fears there will be a fatality if nothing is done.

Area engineer Heather Gibbons said the bridges engineer is compiling a report on the three bridges and once the report is completed she will know how it will proceed.