James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend the information the Minister provided and how good an idea it is. The money that has not been spent in the Department of Transport needs to be transferred for these well-deserved schemes that need funding to progress. She made one comment that concerned me, in that County Cork is number three nationally. The county has the largest road network in the country. Surely, it should be first in line for funding when for the community involvement scheme, CIS, and LIS. I know the Minister will take this matter seriously and take it back to the Department but the front page of The Mail on Sundaylast weekend highlighted a national scandal, stating that €14 billion was needed for transport infrastructure. There is money in the State's coffers that has not been spent. It is not the Minister's fault but it is an issue for the Department of Transport under the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. I am hopeful, considering that there is money that has not been spent to date, that some will be transferred for a joint scheme between the Departments of Rural and Community Development and Transport under the auspices of the Minister for Transport. This is something that must be looked at.

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