Galway Bay fm newsroom - Roads near schools in rural parts of the county cannot be gritted by the county council during bad weather.
That was the message given to members of Athenry - Oranmore Municipal District Council at a meeting this week. (11/12)
Newly Independent Councillor Gabe Cronnelly asked council engineers if roads around schools could be gritted when it freezes as it's dangerous for children.
However Senior Engineer Damien Mitchell said the council can't go to individual school areas.
He said the council has to cover 13 strategic routes in the county for gritting or salting as part of its Winter Service Plan.
He added that it already costs 20 thousand euro per night to carry out road treatment in the county when it freezes.
Damien Mitchell says the county has 6 thousand kilometres of road network and the council can't afford to grit any additional routes.
Councillor James Charity said cars were abandoned on the road into the gaelscoil in Oranmore earlier this week and children walked into school like it was an ice rink.
Damien Mitchell explained that the council can't get involved in salting private roads as 99 per cent of rural schools are in the same position.
Councillor Jim Cuddy suggested that the council investigate taking-in-charge the road in Oranmore to eventually get it on a gritting list.
However, Councillor Peter Feeney responded by saying there are at least 10 schools in a similar position in the Municipal District and they couldn't do it for one and not for another.
