A request to put fingerpost signs on all Council roads in Clare has been palmed off by the local authority for budgetary reasons.

Fingerpost signs are smaller directional guides all mounted on a single post generally used at minor junctions plus regional and local roads where space is restricted. Cllr PJ Kelly proposed at the May meeting of the West Clare Municipal District that they be put on all Council roads in the county.

John O’Malley in his response confirmed “there is no funding currently available to carry out this work”. The acting senior executive engineer commented, “Currently roads connecting to national roads and some local roads connecting to regionals are signed. To extend this to all public roads would entail placing marker posts at every road junction in the county”.

“A lot of public roads don’t have finger posts,” Cllr Kelly replied. “It would be nice if we got them all up again, I know they can disappear”. The Lissycasey representative felt road signs were important for “the dignity of an area”. While no other councillor spoke in support of the motion, it was seconded by Cllr Ian Lynch.

O’Malley stressed that for such a move “the cost would be significant, it would have to be done at every junction”. He stated that signs were present on national roads but admitted putting together a survey on how many signs needed would be “difficult”.