Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

I agree with the Taoiseach that the community response was magnificent, as indeed was the work of local authorities' staff. The work of the staff of the local authority of my own county of Wicklow was exemplary during very difficult circumstances. Does the Taoiseach accept the reason we did not run out of salt is because the secondary roads were not made passable? When the snows subsequently thawed, we had a serious legacy of impassable roads. The Taoiseach used the term "inconvenienced". Does he agree it is unacceptable that school buses were unable to collect children from school because road surfaces had disappeared and farmers could not get to their cattle? This was the reality faced by people during those times and it needs to be recognised as requiring a proper response instead of a grossly inadequate one. Will the Taoiseach tell the House the shortfall between the amount of money allocated for all road works and the amount of money sought by local authorities to carry out the repairs and the reinstatement of roads, bridges and water supplies?

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