Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

Nobody underestimates the difficulty in doing a fair job in this regard and I acknowledge that much effort has been made. There is another side to this issue, however. For example, I understand there were many accidents this morning following cold weather last night. Bad bends, hills and other stretches of road should have been identified by the county councils, which know them best, but the county councils are not allowed to salt or grit them to help make them safer. While we have learned from last year, we are far from perfect and have a long way to go to improve on that. The Minister should take cognisance of the fact that people are on the roads. The views of ordinary council workers are not being taken into account. I urge the Minister to reconsider the situation and take on board what these people are saying.

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