Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

All the Murphys.

At the risk of being beaten up by my colleagues, I have some sympathy for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, on the issue. Yes, there is a much reduced budget that is below where it needs to be but there are other issues also. There is a lack of staff, particularly outdoor staff, in local authorities and a lack of funding to replace them. There is also an issue around drainage. The community employment, CE, scheme was mentioned earlier but the Government has not provided extra materials or resources to the CE schemes to do it. The issue around drainage and lack of drainage is currently the biggest issue for the condition of roads.

There is also the issue of the disparate funding which I have previously discussed with the Minister. Do we know how much of the money is going into tar and how much is kept for administration, management and other matters? Is there consistency? The big issue is funding. We are not appropriately addressing what is needed. When we consider the level of expenditure needed throughout the country, the Minister admitted himself that it is still falling far short. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to deal with it and I ask the Minister to do so urgently.

I heard the Minister discussing his tour of the country earlier. I notice it took in areas represented by many of his Independent colleagues. The people trying to undermine him most are the ones he is trying to entertain. We had that discussion previously as well.

I invite the Minister to County Mayo. I want him to travel the R312 from Belmullet in the very north of Mayo to Castlebar. It is a route often taken by people in ambulances because it is the main route to Mayo University Hospital. Taking that journey in a car is hard enough but taking it in an ambulance is nigh on impossible. If an ambulance is trying to get to the hospital at high speed on that route, the damage done to the patient, the driver and the vehicle is appalling. It is typical of roads all over County Mayo.

It is 48 hours before the Minister's big announcement in Sligo. He should not pass up on the opportunity for regional transport that the western rail corridor represents. I know various Members are lobbying the Minister. However, in respect of regional connectivity that is a good value for money proposition in as much as regional roads are as well. He should not ignore it.

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