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

There has been a welcome and much-needed increase in Government funding for the non-national road network in the last few years. Unfortunately, those increases have been more than offset due to the substantial increase in the costs of road construction and maintenance since 2021. The costs of bituminous overlay pavement products, concrete and aggregates, the main products used in roadworks, have risen dramatically. I would like assurance that in the mid-year review of the 2023 capital programme, priority will be given to a further allocation to local authorities of grant aid for regional, county and local roads. The councils in my constituency, Cavan and Monaghan county councils, have the capacity to put such funding to good use in the best interests of rural communities. This road network needs additional investment this year. Heavy rainfall over the last few months has caused further deterioration and damage to our local road network.

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