Posted online: Jul 7th, 2010

By Lauren Harte
reporter

There was widespread anger yesterday (Tuesday) after it emerged that plans to progress a number of major road projects in Donegal could be axed due to a lack of funding.
It’s understood the National Roads Authority is scrapping five major road projects in Donegal including the N56 – Inver to Killybegs project, the N15 -Lifford to Ballybofey/Stranorlar, the N14 – Letterkenny to Lifford, the N13 – Stranorlar to Derry and the N56 – Letterkenny Relief Road because there is no money to build them.
However the Atlantic Corridor Road project linking Letterkenny to Waterford is believed to be one of only a few projects considered “safe” under the cuts.
The axed projects are expected to be confirmed within weeks as part of a government mid-term review of the National Development Plan (NDP).
Responding to the news, Ardara based FG Cllr Terence Slowey said no other county has been as badly hit as Donegal with five projects suspended.
“The Inver to Killybegs stretch of the N56 was absolutely critical for the development of Killybegs and sustaining jobs in South West Donegal. The Lifford to Letterkenny and the Lifford to Ballybofey/Stranorlar projects were two of the critical pieces of roads infrastructure required to ensure job creation in Donegal and the fact that they are not going ahead does not bode well for this county.”
Donegal Sinn Féin Senator Pearse Doherty also hit out at the proposals to scrap the road projects:
“To take an axe to the National Development Plan in such a way is an exercise in economic lunacy. The NDP is by no means perfect but it did offer communities some form of stimulus and job opportunities.”