Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

According to the National Oversight and Audit Commission, almost 70% of regional roads have structural or surface defects. The Minister has become God's gift to the automobile industry and, in particular, to motor factor and auto spares providers. One could ask why that is so. It is because the more the roads deteriorate, the more damage is being done to motor vehicles. What is even more important is that vehicles which may have been damaged could be considered a health and safety risk for drivers. As a result of the cost involved, motorists cannot be expected to have their own private NCTs done on a regular basis. The Minister has left the Chamber. Many of his reports and deliberations on the causes of road accidents appear to play down vehicle roadworthiness as a factor.

I commend my local authority on the surface work repairs it undertakes on rural roads. Too often, however, local authorities work with scarce resources. Extra spend and manpower is required. Loss of life is occurring on rural roads due to bad surfaces among other reasons but the Minister seems to play that down. Even Transport Infrastructure Ireland is negligent in the maintenance of national primary roads in rural areas. I will provide two simple examples. The first is the N72 between Fermoy and Mallow. At Kilcanway, there are ruts on the road as big as potholes and I know that from experience. Another example is the N73 between Mitchelstown and Mallow on which there have been potholes at Skahanagh in recent months.

Every time Transport Infrastructure Ireland comes to my county with funding, it must be welcomed. However, that should not be at the expense of rural roads or, for that matter, rural communities. If one takes the N25 in east Cork, which is a busy primary road from Cork to Waterford and Rosslare, the result of prolonged and delayed works at Killeagh have resulted in minor roads in the area becoming rat runs. In turn, they have been left in such a poor condition that they are now like muddy passages. I urge the Minister to please not let the same happen with Castlemartyr, which is currently being streetscaped. Supplementary funding must also be made available for the maintenance of rural roads which are impacted by the ongoing work in nearby towns.

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