Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is very welcome. The issue of the underfunding of local and regional roads has been raised consistently by councillors in Cavan and Monaghan and in many other parts of the country. In County Monaghan we are quite unique in that we do not have any multinationals, but, fortunately, we have many people who have created their own employment through indigenous enterprises across sectors like agriculture, agrifood and engineering. It is a unique situation in that many of these small businesses are located up small boreens which, in turn, connect to regional roads and national roads. Our small and medium enterprises are particularly dependent on the road network to get their goods to and from the marketplace, so it is critical that we have a proper network to enable them to do that. These small enterprises typically employ between five and ten people and are absolutely crucial to the local economy in Monaghan. Monaghan and Cavan, like many other counties, have large proportions of their populations living in rural areas. Parents taking their children to school in the morning and people travelling to and from work are travelling on the same substandard roads as many of the aforementioned local enterprises.

I have no doubt that I will be told that we have received funding down through the years. I fully accept and appreciate that, but, unfortunately, the funding we have received, because of inflation among other things, is just not stretching as far as it needs to stretch. As the Minister of State knows, Cavan and Monaghan do not have rail access and are totally dependent on road infrastructure. To put things into perspective and to give the House facts as opposed to opinions, a recent national study of the local and regional road network found that County Monaghan has 300 km of regional roads, 11%, or 33 km, of which are in the poorest category and are showing signs of severe structural failure. Furthermore, of the 550 km of local primary roads in the county, 12%, or 66 km, are of the poorest standard while 25%, or 225 km, of the 1,020 km of tertiary roads are showing signs of severe structural failure.In one particular municipal district, MD, namely, Carrickmacross-Castleblayney, and indeed Ballybay-Clones, more than 35% of the road network is in the poorest category, making it one of the worst MDs in the country for road infrastructure. These categories highlight the unique situation Monaghan finds itself in.

It is estimated that approximately €5.8 million in additional funding is required annually to the current restoration improvement budget, which was €7.6 million in 2023. This is simply to maintain the road network in its current condition. It is a false economy, as I am sure the Minister of State will agree. If we continue to let these roads decline, it will take more revenue down the road, so to speak - excuse the pun – to put these roads to the standard everyone requires.

In Monaghan, Cavan and many other rural counties, such as, I am sure, the Minister of State’s home patch of Westmeath, local roads are essential. It is the only show in town because we do not have rail or an adequate bus service. We are absolutely, totally dependent on the local road network. I plead with the Minister of State for a substantial increase to be given this year to local road funding in Cavan, Monaghan and other counties that require it because it is essential in order for people to travel about their daily business.