There are kilometres of so-called ‘private roads’ in rural Kildare that residents are left to maintain by themselves. Residents already pay massive development levies to the council when building their homes, and thereafter pay road tax and local property tax.
At the recent Fine Gael National Spring Conference in Wexford, I asked a panel of government ministers what we can do as a party to address this ongoing issue for once and for all.
The Local Improvement Scheme allows residents to receive funding to repair their road in addition to a contribution from the residents themselves. Some years ago, the council would take the roads in charge following these repairs. We need to continue to push for local authorities to start taking these roads in charge.
In this day and age, it doesn’t make sense that residents of private roads pay all their levies and taxes, yet they still have to maintain the road outside their home. Many would gladly have the local authority take them in charge, given the choice.
