Reallocation of funding by council ‘not acceptable’

The reallocation of funds from Boyle and Roscommon Municipal Districts to Athlone is “not acceptable” and should not happen again as it a reserved decision of local councillors and not that of the council executive, a recent meeting of Boyle MD has heard.

Cllr Michael Frain, voicing his frustration at the meeting, saying this had happened last year and was happening again this year with Boyle MD seeing a total reduction of €30,000 from the Public Realm Fund while Roscommon MD will lose €20,000. Originally each public realm town was given a budget of €70,000 but at a meeting of Boyle MD last week members heard that a decision had been made to redistribute the funds.

Each municipal area will now receive €60,000 for public realm works. In Boyle MD this amounts to a total of €210,00 for the three areas of Ballaghaderreen, Strokestown and Boyle. Meanwhile Roscommon MD will receive €120,000 for Castlerea and Roscommon Town.

As there is only one public realm within Athlone MD it will receive the original €70,000 plus the extra €50,000 which has been reallocated from the other two municipal districts.

When given the details of the budget set out for the three towns in Boyle MD, Cllr Frain questioned the move adding “other parts of the county seem to be the centre of the universe. If money is reallocated it should not be to another area. We are not accepting this”.

He said Boyle MD was the worst for dereliction and ghost estates adding “we need to take a stand today,” He continued: “The councillors should be making this decision not someone else,” saying this was their reserved function and not one that should be made by the officials and this”would not be tolerated.”

Cathaoirleach of the MD Cllr Sean Moylan asked “why is Athlone more deserving of more money?”, adding “€10,000 makes a huge difference to some areas.”

MD Co-ordinator Ivor Kilcline said he believes it is a good fund and the council are getting a lot of work done in local villages as a result. He said the council tries its best to divide it up fairly.

Following the meeting members of the Corporate Policy Group also discussed the matter. It was agreed that such a decision is a reserved function of the councillors.

CPG member Cllr Tom Crosby said: “We don’t want this to happen again going forward.”

He said there will be a new policy brought in next year which will then be presented to the councillors for their decision.

For 2026 the €60,000 budgeted for the Boyle area will see works on footpaths in Keadue, at the Pleasure Grounds, Boyle town, Cortober and Ballyfarnon with €10,000 allocated for amenity/public areas in Boyle town.

In Strokestown monies will be spent on amenity/public areas in Elphin, at the Crescent in Strokestown, Tarmonbarry, and Roosky with €12,500 of the total of €60,000 being budgeted for footpaths and paving in Tulsk.

Works on amenity/public areas will be carried out in the Ballaghaderreen district and will include Kilcoman estate, at Castlerea Road, Ballinagare, on the Old Dublin Road, Ballaghaderreen and the Old Dublin Road, Frenchpark.

*Published under the Local Democracy Scheme