Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the answer and for acknowledging that consideration will be taken of the special condition roads in that area. I will certainly appreciate that. The Minister made reference to schemes being curtailed since 2013. We can really see the effect of this curtailment five years later with some roads becoming narrower. I also believe that climate change has an impact on it and I have no doubt that the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport will examine the impacts on our roads from the monsoon-like rainfall Ireland is having. The R400, which we spoke about when the Minister was in Edenderry, is a connecting route from Rhode to Portarlington. It is a very important strategic route that links the M6 to the M7 and it needs to be prioritised. I have no doubt that Offaly County Council will most certainly do this.

The re-launch of the local improvement schemes by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring, and the Taoiseach was most welcome at the National Ploughing Championships last year. There was a queue of communities waiting to avail of that funding and it was used up very quickly. I am aware that an enormous amount of funding remains in that scheme. I hope that we could get an increase in that funding. I welcome that new funding will be announced for that, as mentioned earlier today by the Taoiseach in Leaders' Questions.

Will the Minister consider looking again at the community involvement scheme? When I was a county councillor we found it to be a marvellous way to ensure that roads in the charge of the local authority could be resurfaced or have some structural work, in partnership with people in the rural area who had access to various types of mechanical equipment. It was very good value for money and was a tremendous scheme. I hope the Minister might consider that.

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