Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

This is a key area in which there is no activity. Up and down the country councillors are calling me and my colleagues to tell us that no work is being done on the roads. Significant works can be done locally and they are labour intensive. Thousands of people can be put back to work very quickly without much technology. There are hundreds of thousands of people unemployed and there is no opportunity for them to do the works.

Local authorities around the country have selected key local improvement schemes that make a significant difference to the local network and the local economy, but the Minister's full stop on local government expenditure on roads is entirely unacceptable. It does not make sense and it is an absolute disgrace at this time.

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