'€88,000 for 750 metres of laneway' - cost of materials highlighted at Leitrim meeting.

Fears about cost increases in both tar and oil were voiced when Leitrim's general municipal allocation 2026 draft budget was reviewed by councillors at the latest Ballinamore meeting. 

The county's budget stands at the same figure as last years' - €257,000.

Cllr Enda McGloin said that although it was the same figure as last year, in his view it is "slightly down. You were the same previously and give the same amount of money but everything has gone up; that's the issue."

Cllr Gary Prior noticed that "huge money" was allocated to a laneway earlier in the meeting. "We passed the allocation of one LIS that cost €88,000 for 750 metres of laneway. It's worrying the way that's going. I did some figures and back ten years, it cost €35,000 for that same road. It's a really worrying trend."

Vincent Dwyer, Head of Finance said the council would "love to increase it; in the baseline funding in 2023, we did increase it but unfortunately the financial position is relatively static."

Cllr McGloin noted that both tar and oil have gone up in price substantially. "We have to try and do whatever we can to get that funding maintained or up a bit. Most of our motions are about roads and their conditions. I think the roads in Leitrim are ahead of other counties thanks to the diligence of Leitrim County Council and we need to keep that up."

Cllr Gary Prior noticed that "huge money" was allocated to a laneway earlier in the meeting. "We passed the allocation of one LIS that cost €88,000 for 750 metres of laneway. It's worrying the way that's going. I did some figures and back ten years, it cost €35,000 for that same road. It's a really worrying trend."

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The housing estate management grant and local authority estate funding came in at €24,000 while the roadworks programme will be before the members early next year when the figures are available. 

The community tourism and arts grant was allocated €21,000 and the Love Where You Live programme was allocated €15,000 while the Adopt a Road/Adopt a Bring Bank scheme was allocated €5000.

The Amenities/Tidy Towns overall allocation was €187,000.