15 January 2004: Cllr John McGinley wants the contract to build Bond Bridge and the Meadowbrook Link Road to be paid for by a special levy contribution set on all planning applications granted in Maynooth.

A motion to that effect, supported by the Leixlip Area Committee, will be discussed at the full Council meeting on 26 January.

The Council’s draft budget for 2004 estimates the construction cost of Bond Bridge at €6m and the cost of construction of the Meadowbrook Link Road in the region of €1.8m. Money to repay a loan chanrge has been included in recent estimates, mounting to €427,393. The scheme is planned to commence early this year as the Council has secured the necessary land and wayleaves.

However, the balance of the cost will have to come from other resources, primarily development contributions.

Cllr McGinley has taken issue with the County Manager on his figures as Cllr McGinley’s records show that €2,094,515 has been accumulated so far and not €427,393 as in the Manager’s report. The monies have come from levies collected for each housing estate and in the estimates since the start of 1999. He said loan charges would support spending €6.3m and not €1.3m as outlined in the Manager’s report.

The councillor will be demanding that the contract for both projects be awarded without delay.