Welcome for Roscrea roads funding

Local councillor Michael Smith (FF) has welcomed approval by Transport Infrastructure Ireland for major funding for Roscrea town under the National Roads Allocation Programme.

Cllr Smith, the Chairperson of Thurles Municipal District, which includes Roscrea and Templemore, said the €280,000 for the N62 re-surfacing work at Grove Street, Crescent and realignment of Lourdes Road is the culmination of excellent planning on behalf of Tipperary County Council and the engineers.

“I was delighted to represent the council at a meeting with the Transport Infrastructure Ireland officials last October in Dublin,” Cllr Smith stated. “It was clear that there was widespread approval for a draft plan, which was submitted a number of months ago by the council. I came away from the meeting extremely optimistic that funding would be made available.”

Roscrea has benefited hugely in the past two years from very significant funding under the National Structural Programme. The figure is over €1.5 million to date.

“This announcement follows consistent work in securing major funds in locations such as Scart, Kennedy Park, the three Roundabouts and Market Square,” Cllr Smith said. “It is ample testimony of the technical and official capacity within the council to achieve the best results for our local community. Businesses have reacted very positively to the news as this is seen a major junction within the town”.

In also welcoming this news of the major allocation for road improvements in the town, Seamus Browne, President of Roscrea Chamber of Commerce, said: “The hard work that has gone into getting these substantial funds for Roscrea over the years is much appreciated by the business community and we look forward to these works commencing shortly.”