Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. His intentions and efforts in this area are very welcome. It is very important local authorities do not reduce their funding for road maintenance or for improvement works where they can happen. It is important to continue to invest in roads through maintaining existing local roads or improving road networks where we can, not only because of the recent weather issues but also in terms of investment and economic stimulus for the country. It is also important that individual local authority members rather than the executive take more responsibility in managing funding and prioritising where the money must go. It is not an unlimited amount of money, and some areas need more investment than others. It is for the individual members of Dublin City Council and other local authorities to make use of the money and they know how best to do it.

It is regrettable that the provision to each local authority of 80% of the funding from the local property tax raised in its area is not being maintained. We need to put this commitment back in place on a statutory basis for 2015 so that future Governments will not be able to reverse it.

See this speech in context