Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Banker bonuses in this country were effectively outlawed with the IMF agreement, with a 90% tax introduced with one of the last legislative acts of a former Minister, the late Mr. Brian Lenihan.

I call for a debate on the state of rural roads in Ireland. I was at a meeting last night in Kells, County Meath, where hundreds of people attended to express considerable anger about how the roads in north Meath, in particular, have collapsed. This is especially evident with third class roads but it is also worryingly evident with regional roads, which are the main routes through the county. The same problem can be seen in areas around Navan and east Meath. There is much anger. In an interview with The Irish Times last December or November, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, indicated that he had cut ¤400 million from the road budget and nobody had noticed. It is fair to say that the people in north Meath have noticed their roads deteriorating.

We are constantly told about the IMF and how we are tied down in what we can spend by the agreement. The Government is spending less on capital spending than was projected in the agreement, which is a shame. Jobs are being reduced and roads around the country, particularly in north, east and central Meath, are collapsing. People are really upset and financially out of pocket, as in a number of cases people had to replace cars because of the problem. They may be driving up a lane with a 24 inch pothole full of water.

Perhaps the pothole has just appeared or perhaps it cannot be seen because of the darkness or the water. A debate on capital spending is needed because the Government has reduced the allocation below what was agreed in the agreement with the troika. The Government has other priorities but, in the meantime, roads will collapse. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport must be informed that the people have noticed his cutbacks to the roads budget.