Pothole solution: 'let us fix them ourselves'
CORK'S County Manager was urged this week to provide community groups with tarmac so that they can fill the potholes themselves.
At Monday's bi-monthly council meeting, the Midleton Area Committee's proposal to provide groups with cold-laid bitumen macadam was discussed.
Councillor Pat Burton said that he sympathises with Manager Martin Riordan's predicament. Health and Safety restrictions make it almost impossible for the manager to "create a workplace" by allowing community groups to perform road works. On the other hand, the potholes are, surely, a major health and safety concern, he said.
The Health and Safety legislation in Ireland is like a threat hanging over local authorities, Councillor Burton continued: "What about the health and safety of the road users, when someone has to swerve to avoid a pothole?"
Councillor Dermot Sheehan pointed to recent research showing that most road accidents in Ireland now occur on rural roads, and Councillor Ronan Sheehan also voiced his frustration: "We have people who are prepared to go out and solve this problem and we should find a way to make it happen."
Responding, Mr Riordan outlined a pilot project, involving Cork County Council and the IFA, which is examining potential joint responses to severe weather events, such as the big freeze Ireland experienced this past winter.
As regards the potholes, he said: "It will take a year to two years to catch up, even to get back to where we were, and where we were wasn't an ideal situation. Budgets are severely limited, he added, and appeals for extra funding from central government have been unsuccessful.
"Communities out there want to get involved, they are willing to get involved and we need to tap into that resource, but it's all fine until something goes wrong," Mr Riordan concluded: "It's very simple, but if somebody wants to change the law, I'll comply with the changes."
- TRISH O'DEA
