*Morgan Lahiffe (far right) made the comments at a recent sitting of the Killaloe Municipal District. Photograph: Ruth Griffin
COOPERATION FROM LANDOWNERS accelerates the success of projects across Clare, a senior official in the County Council has emphasised.
Recent work in South-East Clare was heralded as an example of what can be achieved when the local authority and landowners pull together in unison. This was evident in improvements carried out in O’Briensbridge, Bridgetown and Clonlara according to elected representatives and Council staff.
These areas were pinpointed by Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF) when putting forward the case to resurface the bridge crossing from the Killaloe road into O’Briensbridge.
This bridge crossing (R466) has not been included in the 2022 schedule of municipal district works, acting senior executive engineer in the Killaloe MD, Derek Troy outlined. It would be assessed to warrant inclusion for next year, he said while acknowledging “the deterioration of the wearing surface and undertakes to carry out essential maintenance as required on this bridge crossing in 2022”.
Work on O’Briensbridge Cross and Bridgetown was labelled by Cllr O’Brien as “an excellent job”. He believed maintenance would “greatly enhance” safety. He questioned if ESB have been involved in the resurfacing of the bridge in Clonlara, “I believe ESB have liability,” the Killaloe representative remarked.
Agreement was voiced by Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) regarding the safety improvements. “It was well overdue but it is a lot safer now”.
O’Brien’s proposal was seconded by Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) who questioned if it was a possible template for Henchy’s Cross leading Cllr Cooney to remind his colleague, “good man Pat, we’re in Killaloe not Spancilhill”.
Responding to the praise, senior executive officer of the Killaloe MD, Morgan Lahiffe stated, “It shows what can be done when there’s good engagement between Clare County Council and landowners, there was a specific success to it, without the landowners it wouldn’t have been possible. There is a lot that can be done when landowners are willing to cooperate”.
