John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the pressure exerted on the Minister by members of his own group about this matter which is significantly important for rural Members. It is also immensely important to a large number of the population in each county. Telling councils to use their own funding will simply not work. From 1999 to 2007, there was substantial investment in the road network. The majority of local roads in all counties were brought up to a reasonable level. However, as these roads now beginning to fall apart, the councils have to reinvest in them. Funding is needed for the improvement of private roads. Local residents provide a 15% contribution, but the work is carried out by the local authority, meaning that it is recirculated. One gets good value for one’s grant money because local authority workers are the ones doing the work. I urge the Minister to stick to the programme for Government commitments and hope 2017 will see the reintroduction of a real level of funding for the scheme.

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