Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. It is an appropriate time to have him before the committee to give an update on the budget for 2016. I thank him for seeking our opinion on our priorities for the budget for 2017.

In his opening statement the Minister spoke about incremental increases in the past couple of years in the maintenance requirements of regional roads. However, the breakdown of the figures does not back up what he said. There is a decrease in the Estimate in the allocation for national road improvements compared with the figure for 2015. There is great concern about the condition of roads, to which the Minister alluded. He spoke about being in a position in 2020 to meet a steady-state requirement. For every year he pushes out making this investment it will require greater investment in 2020. At a time when motor tax receipts are increasing, why is expenditure on roads decreasing? People believe they pay motor tax to have appropriate and safe roads on which to travel.

The subvention for public transport has decreased significantly in recent years. In private session, before the Minister came in, we discussed our work programme for the upcoming year. The priority is our vision for public transport and how the State should support it. The Minister has been quiet about his vision for public transport. He is the main stakeholder in Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann, representatives of which are at the WRC this morning, and Iarnród Éireann. We have three State bodies that are all in a precarious financial position, possibly jeopardising their long-term viability, in two of which wage claims have been submitted. In one instance there is industrial action which is causing widespread disruption to workers, students and others who use Dublin Bus services. I would have expected the Minister to come here today, given his commitment in terms of how he will fund these bodies by way of subvention.

This is European Day without a Road Death, EDWARD. Is the Minister happy that the Road Safety Authority is adequately funded to carry out its necessary work? While it is not a funding issue, why do a number of key positions on the board of the authority remain to be filled? Surely such an important body needs positions on the board to be filled by persons with the relevant competencies. Why are we waiting for them to be filled?