Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Fingal County Council can only self-fund so much. Freak weather events have a disproportionate effect on damaged roads. Frost and ice permeate existing cracks and holes and make them bigger, deeper and even more dangerous. I see evidence of this as I drive around. We need a fund for these repairs and for a new priority to be placed on making these roads safe. We are talking about road safety here.

I ask that a fund be set up in order to allow for the remediation of secondary roads. These are not big infrastructure projects whereby Cabinet Ministers cut ribbons and walk down new motorways, over new bridges or new overpasses or through new tunnels, they are the roads that connect our citizens to their shops, schools, families and places of work. These are the roads on which tyres are being punctured and vehicle chassis are being damaged. They are dangerous roads that present lethal conditions for drivers, passengers and pedestrians. As part of this year's budget, the Minister needs to set up an emergency fund for allocation to local authorities.

As understand it - the Minister can confirm this - Fingal did not receive anything from the national fund.

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