Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I support this motion. As rural Deputies we are very conscious of the difficulties arising from the lack of funding for our road network, particularly our rural road network. I welcome the fact that we have had an increase in funding this year but, in the context of the depreciation in funding over the past number of years, particularly during the years of the recession, the 9% increase goes nowhere to address the problems we have with local councils.

The Minister took the time to meet with all the Tipperary county councillors on a recent visit to Tipperary when they outlined the difficulties they face every day and the anger and frustration they meet as public representatives in answering to the public for the lack of quality roads in their area. People in rural areas are the same as those living in urban centres. They pay taxes, levies and charges and have the same entitlement to traverse their local roads as somebody traversing our national highways. However, that is not happening and the majority of rural roads in Tipperary are either impassable or passable with extreme difficulty. People are very agitated because of that and there has been a huge increase in the level of claims to councils. The councils are not accepting responsibility for it and insurers will not take responsibility. There has been a huge increase in people whose vehicles are being damaged after hitting a pothole. Some €200 or €300 of damage is done to their car but they have recourse to nobody for it

A targeted approach is needed. The Minister has a big problem because this will take a huge amount of resources.

Those resources are not available from within the Minister's Department, so this is an issue which has to be addressed by the Government. In other words the Department needs support and assistance, particularly from the Department of Finance, on how to tackle this problem. In this regard, moneys need to be put aside. The magnitude of the problem has already been documented for the Minister and his Department from every local authority in the country. The extent of funding required has already been notified to the Department.

The 9% increase the Minister has obtained for the current year will simply not match the financial requirement. I would like to see an organised and co-ordinated approach whereby all councils receive sufficient funds to give priority to rural roads that are currently in an appalling condition.

I support Deputy Mattie McGrath's call for future planning on new roads. In my home town of Thurles, during the last two Governments' terms, I brought a new by-pass road plan to the stage where it was given priority by the Department. The route has been selected and the job is ready to go. It would create employment as well as alleviating the difficulties of traffic congestion in Thurles. It is extremely difficult to get through the town from one end to the other. I ask the Minister to re-examine the possibility of putting the Thurles by-pass back on the project list for completion. Significant progress has been made on it and it is at a stage where it simply requires the Department to say that it continues to be a priority and will be funded in future.

I ask the Government to acknowledge the commitments given in the programme for Government to increase the capital budget for regional and local roads by approximately 50%. That commitment was negotiated but it has not yet been honoured. We are relying on the Minister to accept responsibility for that. He should ensure with his Cabinet colleagues that adequate funding is made available to meet that commitment.

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