Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Hogan for introducing this motion. It is timely given our recent experience in terms of rainfall, frost and snow. It is clear the Government had no plan in place to deal with the weather crisis. It is not funny that, Ministers abroad aside, Dublin city came to a standstill as a result of the snow. A friend of mine from Prince Edward Island asked me how the Government would deal with four or six feet of snow if it cannot deal with two inches of it. The Government must re-examine its plan. We cannot afford to allow the country to come to a standstill again. The Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, instructed all schools to remain closed without any regard to the needs of parents, both of whom may have been working, in terms child care.

I suggest that the Minister examine how Monaghan County Council works. It has been planning for such a storm for years and immediately gritted not alone national primary but national secondary and main regional roads. It ensured lorries were able to access farms to assist with poultry, pigs and so on and that commerce continued. There is no reason, except for a lack of ability on the part of Government, this cannot be done at national level. Monaghan County Council had to have in place a plan. The Government closed Monaghan hospital and had it not had a plan in place the roads required to bring sick people by ambulance to the nearest hospital would have been closed.

As a result of the weather crisis roads will need to be repaired. I represent Cavan-Monaghan which, as the Minister may recall, were recognised in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the pothole counties. I beg the Minister to ensure money is made available to ensure this does not happen again. The surface of our roads are damaged, some more seriously than others. However, if they are tarred again and sealed enormous damage will be avoided in the future.

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