Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to get the opportunity today to raise this and ask the Tánaiste for increased funding to deal with local improvement scheme applications in Kerry next year. It is only just around the corner. Some 678 schemes are on the list and were applied for in 2018. More than 90 of them are on a list since 2007 and were included in the 2018 scheme. These are public roads which were never taken in charge by the local authority. They are not private roads. Some 20 or more homes are on many of these roads and nine or more farmers are using them on a daily basis to access their homes.

We got an increased allocation of approximately €480,000 last year which brought us up to €1,187,099. We got 19 roads done last year, to a high standard, by Kerry County Council, which does a very good job. However, there has been no element of funding for emergency hardship schemes which was always made available through the local improvement scheme, LIS. The people who live on these roads pay all their taxes; road, property, PAYE and income tax.

They pay their way and they have no public transport. Farmers pay water charges and have to pay more to get their cars through the NCT because of damage and more wear and tear on bad roads. All I ask on behalf of the people of Kerry is fair play. Smaller counties with fewer applications are getting more funding to do their roads. I will not name them as I do not want to put any other county down to put Kerry up. I ask for fairness for the people of Kerry.

I ask the Government to be fair to people in these rural areas. People living on these roads are entitled to good roads to their door, the same as people in Dublin 4. These roads are not private; they are public. There are carers, nurses and doctors using them to get to people who are sick on a daily basis or several times a day to keep people living at home. This is a serious matter. They have no option other than to use these roads. They want to stay living in these places as long as they can but we must do our bit to help them. Over the years, the Department made 80% of the funding available. They will pay their contribution. They have never refused to do so. I thank the Tánaiste.

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