Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are all thinking of the families who have been bereaved by the roads. As the Minister of State is very well aware, we had a number of tragedies that affected Galway families recently. All our thoughts are with those families and their loved ones. Over the course of this debate and those we have had over the last number of weeks, we heard of many different ways in which we can tackle this particular issue. I want to speak on a specific issue that I feel really does need to be addressed, which is the state of the roads, particularly in the west. Obviously, from his time as Aire Stáit na Gaeltachta, the Minister of State will be well aware of the roads in places like the Connemara Gaeltacht.

Ar cheist na mbóithre, beidh a fhios ag an Teachta Chambers ó bheith ina Aire Stáit le freagracht as an nGaeltacht, má labhraíonn tú le haon duine atá ina gcónaí i gConamara, gurb é ceann de na céad rudaí a luafaidh sé nó sí ná na bóithre agus, ar ndóigh, na droichid. Má théann tú amach chuig Ceantar na nOileán, feicfidh tú an droch-chaoi atá ar na bóithre. Má théann tú ag tiomáint ar na bóithre, feicfidh tú "bump" scríofa air mar gheall nach bhfuil aon rud ann chun léiriú cé chomh dona is atá na bóithre. Teastaíonn maoiniú ceart i gcomhair na mbóithre ar fud an iarthair agus i gConamara. Bíonn tuilte ann i gCuan na Loinge i gcónaí. Ní bhíonn daoine in ann an teach a fhágáil ná an gluaisteán a thógáil amach ón ngairdín atá acu mar gheall ar na tuilte sin. Is léir go gcaithfear déileáil leis mar chás éigeandála. Má bhreathnaímid ar scéim na mbóithre áise, feicfidh muid go bhfuil liosta feithimh ann mar gheall go bhfuil na bóithre chomh dona sin. Tá sé luaite go rímhinic sna meáin i nGaillimh agus sna meáin náisiúnta cé chomh dona atá na bóithre seo. Caithfimid déileáil leo mar chás éigeandála mar go bhfuil sé fíorchontúirteach nach bhfuil siad chomh maith agus gur cóir dóibh a bheith.

One of the real issues we see across the west - I am thinking of Connemara, obviously, because I know it best - is the state of the roads and how difficult and dangerous it is that they are in such bad condition. People are constantly saying that their tyres and suspension are going and that a whole range of other things constantly go because of the state of the roads. That has an impact because, obviously, it is incredibly dangerous. We see that in the local improvement scheme, LIS, for example, there is a waiting list at this very moment because people are trying to access funding for their different roads. They simply cannot get it because there is not funding. Therefore, when we are looking at this, we also need to look at the state of the roads for safety reasons. I really believe that is a key issue in the west.

Of course, it is not just a key issue in the west; it is a key issue everywhere. That is the area I know best, however. I do spend some time driving around Dublin as well. I might not know it as well as Galway, but it is an area that I know. Even last night, I was in an area called Deansgrange for the first time with Callie Nic Rállaigh. We were going around meeting and talking to people. A key issue that came up at all the doors with everybody we spoke to was the issue of a particular road and the dangers it poses in Deansgrange. The dangers were quite evident to me even when I was driving along because I was driving within the cycle lane. People really need to know what exactly is going to happen to that road. There was very little or no public consultation on that. With infrastructure as basic as roads, we need to make sure the communities and local people know what is happening.

See this speech in context