By Sean Moriarty

Kerry County Council is to benefit to the tune of €29,564,872 in funding for local roads in the county.

The funding was announced today (Tuesday) by Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan and Minster for State Hildegard Naughton.

The biggest allocation of funding in the Killarney Municipal District is the €200,000 earmarked for Finnegan's Cross, Kilcummin.

The junction has been the scene of several serious, some fatal, accidents in recent years and had already been included in the 2021 Safety Improvement Works on Regional and Local Roads funding scheme.

The latest round of funding is the re-allocation of last year’s money which could not be used for various reasons.

Mayor Marie Moloney lives very close to the junction. She has been a long-time campaigner for safety upgrades at the junction. She explained to the Killarney Advertiser why the funding had to be delayed for a year.

“I very much welcome the announcement of funding for Regional and Local Roads. In particular I very much welcome the reallocation of funding to carry out realignment and safety works at Finnegan's Cross, Kilcummin. This funding was allocated last year but due to time constraints, negotiations with landholders and the roads design department, this work could not be carried out in time to use the money in the last allocations, but assurance was given that the money would be reallocated this year. I have worked closely with the Area Engineers to progress this work and I am hopeful that work can commence shortly to ensure the safety of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians at this location,” she told the Killarney Advertiser.

Other funding announced this week includes a total of €23,500 for two different projects in Dunloe, €110,000 for road side drainage in Ballyhar and Aghadoe.

A total of €80,000 was allocated for the construction of a retaining wall adjacent to the Flesk River in Ballycasheen and €50,000 for Listry Bridge.