Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

All I can tell the Tánaiste is that the people that I represent in Tipperary are angry, frustrated and annoyed. They feel ignored, forgotten and abandoned. I am not at all happy that, effectively, what the Tánaiste is telling me is that the Government recognises that there is a serious problem but that it cannot do anything about it until 2019. Can the Tánaiste be more specific? I welcome the fact that there will be additional funds available. Could the Tánaiste be more specific about whether we are going to get an increased capital allowance for each of the council areas, including Tipperary, in the budget and in the current Estimates that will be under discussion in September? We cannot wait for another two years.

Our roads are in an appalling condition. People are extremely angry and agitated. There are rural communities such as the farming community that have situations such as milk collection tanks that will not go down some of these roads. We have people who are refusing to do business with small farmers because of the fear of damage to their property while entering those farms. This is a serious issue that needs urgent redress. We need a co-ordinated programme throughout the country to ensure we have a five-year programme that gives us value for money and a return on investment and that is properly managed in order that people in rural areas can see a visible improvement in the road network.

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