Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The local authority in County Kerry puts a significant level of its own resources into matching funds and it sees the filling of potholes as a priority.

One of the points I have been making is that we cannot reward bad practice. If one does not spend one's own money, it is bad practice that the Exchequer will give the body more resources. Whereas a county that gives priority to the maintenance of roads and ponies up its own money to match the Exchequer money it draws down would be disadvantaged if that were to apply. I have had that discussion to ensure that does not happen. I remember that from my time in local government. I know from discussions with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, that Deputy Varadkar's clear priority is that money should be prioritised for maintenance rather than spent on new initiatives and new projects.