John O'Mahony (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise an issue with regard to the funding for maintenance for national and regional roads. Obviously, the recent news that the budget for capital investment in the road infrastructure is to increase and the budget for regional and local roads is to increase was welcome. However, one of yesterday's newspapers reported that the maintenance grant for 2018 was to be reduced from €26 million to €22 million. After the weekend we have had, particularly in the areas seriously affected by snow, there is something that does not add up here. Perhaps it is merely a matter of clarification. It is something on which I have submitted a Commencement matter as well. Will the Leader seek clarity from the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport on this issue? While I am at it, I compliment all the local authority workers who worked around the clock on a couple of days, particularly Saturday night and Sunday night last, in freeing up and gritting the roads.