Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am looking at my Department's finances at the moment. I like the scheme, I want to support it and there is a need for it. A very serious problem has arisen in recent years given that no scheme was in place. There is a big build-up of roads that need to be addressed. We will continue with the current funding allocation and if I can find further funding between now and the end of the year I will make it available. I have asked the local authorities to get a LIS ready if we have funding. I also asked them to prioritise the funding they have been allocated. Some of them did very well with the funding they were allocated but others did not do so well. The weather has been fairly good in recent months and local authorities are carrying out work on the roads. I would like to see them deal with LIS roads. I put on record that I will put in a condition that any local authority that does not spend its allocation by the deadline will not get additional funding if it becomes available in September. We set a deadline of July and the local authorities asked if it could be extended until August, which we allowed. Deputy Michael Collins might come back to criticise me on the basis that Cork got no money.

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