Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. I wish to bring a couple of issues to the Minister's attention. First, I acknowledge his efforts and those of his Department last year to rebalance the allocation to Cork County Council, which has the single largest road network in Ireland. Despite our calls in previous years to have such a rebalance undertaken, it was brought about last year. I wish to thank the Minister and his Department for that.

Is the Minister willing for his Department to be more flexible in the allocation of funding and to allow councils more flexibility in how moneys are allocated? In west Cork, a lot of money is going into the regional and national road networks, but very little into local and tertiary roads. Further discretion should be allowed to local area offices. Is the Minister willing for his Department to engage in that process?

Is the Minister aware that in some councils, to which his Department is allocating tens of millions of euro, payroll costs account for up to 62% of the moneys involved? I have analysed this matter and private contractors tell me that their payroll costs are in the region of 18% to 20%. Is the Minister aware of this information and, if so, will he comment on it?

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