Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I sincerely ask the Minister to review this matter. When there was specific funding for the local improvement scheme, the Department conducted a rigorous examination, in conjunction with the local authority officials, to ensure the funding went to the particular scheme for which it was intended. I am talking about roads that may have nine or ten households on them plus farms and perhaps some minor businesses as well. It is a complete misnomer to talk about non-public roads. The reason they are non-public is because there has been no State investment in them. In the 2000s and in the late 1990s, there was a huge investment that was necessary and welcome in order to bring those roads up to the standard that the people deserve. I mention the people living down the long laneway. They are paying their taxes, contributing to society and working hard. They are as entitled to have a road up to the proper standard as the person living in Dublin 4, Dublin 6, Cork city or anywhere else in urban Ireland. We all fight to get public lighting and paths developed in towns and villages. Our people in rural communities deserve to have a standard of road leading to their homes.

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