Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

The damage done to roads by the recent frost is both extensive and dangerous. I am not talking about the normal damage from wear and tear; anyone who has travelled the roads realises that we are talking about a major operation being required to remedy the damage caused. It is difficult to see, however, how the manpower available to local authorities in the short term can remedy the damage; therefore, we must go outside the normal structures. We should involve FÁS in the repair work. As a result of the huge unemployment rate, there are many people with skills and experience participating in FÁS schemes. With one week's training, it would be possible for these thousands of people, under the leadership of the local authorities and backed up by their engineering expertise, to do something in the short term to remedy the damage. There is a danger that we will fix some high profile roads but 60% to 70% will not be attended to. Eventually we will have serious accidents. Those of us who have travelled through the country have experienced situations we have never experienced before. I ask the Leader to contact the appropriate Minister and the Taoiseach to ask for a new and radical approach to be adopted because of the seriousness of the problem. I have no doubt FÁS is ready and willing to enter into a partnership with local authorities on the issue.