Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

As a member of the roads committee of Cork City Council since 1999, I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. The Bill transfers an important element of the Minister's remit to the Department of Transport. Many speakers have expressed their scepticism about this initiative in view of the difficulty we encounter in obtaining information from the NRA. As Deputy McHugh observed, the national roads for which the NRA is responsible have a serious impact locally. Many people use the local sections on a daily basis in travelling to and from work or school.

The condition of roads has been high on the agenda of my local authority since I became a councillor in 1999. There are many kilometres of roads throughout the State in an unsatisfactory condition. Many of the previous speakers represent more rural areas than my own. The area I represent straddles parts of both Cork city and county, and I have seen a vast difference between the condition of the roads in both areas. Money has been invested in developing roads in the city, an investment that was long overdue. However, areas on the periphery of the city, including Grange, Rochestown and Togher, do not enjoy the funding to which they are entitled. I hope the Minister will review the request for a boundary extension to Cork city's local authority area.

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