BROKEN street lighting is giving criminals a helping hand in rural parts of Fermanagh, it has been claimed.
It has also been revealed there are two separate pots of funding for new and existing street lighting, and while there is still money to put up new lights, there is no money left to repair the ones that are already up.
The pervasive issue of faulty street lighting took up much discussion at the January meeting of the Council in Enniskillen Townhall last week, with councillors stating lighting was out right across Fermanagh. The councillors were responding to correspondence from the Department of Infrastructure which stated the Roads Service did not have funding to carry out several planned improvement projects.
During the discussion Cllr Donal O’Cofaigh said broken street lighting could lead to an increase in crime, stating he had recently been made aware of a burglary in rural Fermanagh which the local community believed happened because the street light beside the home was out.
“An isolated individual was targeted,” he said, adding repairing lights should be a priority.
Cllr John McCluskey said broken street lighting was also an issue in his area in Fermanagh, as did Cllr Victor Warrington, who said it was also an issue in Fivemiletown.
Cllr Warrington added he had been made aware the Roads Service had two separate budgets for new and old lighting, with the Roads Service currently erecting brand new lighting in several areas.
“They said the new and existing lighting comes from two different budgets,” he said. “Is there a point in spending money on new lights if they are not able to repair them when they go too?”
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere