Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party) | Oireachtas source

If the Minister of State has been to Donegal, he will know many of our rural roads are in an awful state and in urgent need of upgrading, particularly around the Glenties and Inishowen areas. These are the most deprived areas. They are rural areas.

The LIS as it currently stands is wholly inadequate for us as there is a need to address the infrastructural differences between rural and urban Donegal. There are hundreds of people in my constituency who have been waiting on the LIS list for years and it seems many of them are unlikely to see their roads addressed under the current scheme. I welcome the scheme. It was extended last year and more families can qualify for the scheme but it is pointless if they cannot access it as it is currently set up. We need to ensure people can access their homes and farms safely. Without effective infrastructure, rural and Gaeltacht communities, particularly those in my area, are dying. Without these roads and people helping in the communities by fixing these roads, we will end up with people having to move to urban centres and leave rural Ireland.

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