Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted that my colleagues have come in to support this request. We have delivered the money over the past two years. For ten years we had no money whatever. From the Minister's track record, I hope that additional funding will be made available to the €10.7 million so far for 2018. The upgrading of roads in recent years has benefited communities, as was the case with previous local improvement schemes. I am sure the Acting Chairman, Deputy Eugene Murphy, has seen the benefits in his own constituency of Roscommon, and will associate himself with those. I thank the Minister and hope that we will continue with this local improvement scheme. It is great for local authorities which have been starved of funding for many years. It provides additional work and is good for local councillors who have lobbied for it.

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