Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I am glad to hear it. However, the Minister of State did not point that out during his contribution.

We can do more ourselves without being obliged to rely on Europe. Many of the works that need to be done locally are, in effect, shovel-ready in nature. In other words, they require intensive labour and the provision of some materials. The use of massive earth movers, engineers or consultants would not be required in respect of such projects.

The Government should reconsider the position with regard to the National Roads Authority's budget for next year. Some of the money contained therein may not yet have been contractually committed and there is a case to be made to reallocate it in respect of the works that need to be carried out immediately. Priority should be given to regional and local roads at this time rather than to commencing projects relating to new national roads. This is a constructive method by which the Government could reallocate the money to which I refer in order to deal with this crisis. It could also provide the type of leadership it has to date refused to give.

In our motion we commend the work of local authority workers, gardaí and members of the ambulance service. I do not wish to denigrate what the Minister of State said in respect of their being no deaths during the recent cold snap. If that is the case, I welcome it. However, hundreds, if not thousands, of people ended up in hospital with fractured bones during the cold snap. These injuries came about as a result of their falling on footpaths and roads which, due to a lack of resources, could not be gritted by local authorities.

Clarity is required in respect of people clearing the footpaths outside their homes of snow and ice. Several Ministers commented on this matter but it is time a definitive statement was issued by the Government in respect of it. If the law needs to be changed, then so be it. If people act in good faith in clearing a footpath or roadway, then they should not be liable for injuries caused to others.

I wish to praise the National Roads Authority, particularly with regard to the information it provided on its website in respect of road surface and air temperatures on critical national transport routes. Such information is extremely important and useful. Heretofore, no one other than local authorities were aware of the existence of such information but now everybody can check it. The authority provides a very good service in this regard but perhaps the number of temperature measuring points could be increased so that even more information might be provided. I commend those who worked day and night to keep our airports open and, by extension, to keep our economy going.

Fine Gael is of the view that the roads fell into such disrepair as a result of the cuts that were administered in last year's budget. The restoration work which should have been carried out did not take place and the recent cold weather only exacerbated the position. Money must be provided now in order to repair regional and local roads. The rural economy, particularly that of the west, has suffered greatly as a result of the flooding which occurred before Christmas and the fact that road surfaces are in such a desperate state.

Road safety is central to road improvement programmes and maintenance work. It is supposed to be a key plank of the Government's road investment programme yet this deep freeze has left scores of roads pot-marked with potholes the size of craters or disintegrating completely. Fine Gael calls on the Ministers for Transport, and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to immediately release emergency funding through the National Roads Authority to restore these roads. The Government's ongoing refusal to acknowledge its role and its willingness to allow roads to deteriorate further will cost taxpayers more in the long run and place drivers at even greater risk. Investing in repairs now is the answer. It will cost a hell of a lot more if it is not done now and it will destroy the local economy.

See this speech in context