Fine Gael National Press Office Press Release

..................................................................

Govt plans to slash local roads grants will create traffic 'time bomb' - Barrett

Dún Laoghaire Fine Gael TD Seán Barrett has described the Government's plans to slash local roads maintenance budgets by €150 million as indefensible in the extreme, and said they represent a €3 million cut in Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown's €8.7 million allocation promised in February.

"The overall condition of our road network is rapidly deteriorating, while the Government waters down the February programme to repair Ireland's network of local and regional roads. Such wanton neglect of our deteriorating roads will constitute a massive time bomb in terms of jobs sacrificed and lives lost as the elimination of Ireland's accident 'black spots' is long-fingered.

"Last February the Government alluded to the potential of the Roads Programme to support employment and economic activity throughout the country. Yet by slashing the roads maintenance programme by €150 million in such a cavalier fashion, they belie its job-creation potential as unemployment approaches half a million. Dún Laoghaire's jobless level has climbed by a massive 121% to 6,289 in the past year alone.

"Local roads are the economic arteries of local communities, and this is especially true in the case of the Dún Laoghaire ferry terminal. Roads are a status symbol for the country, and it is vital that their maintenance would be kept up to the highest standards to accommodate the heavy goods vehicles and tourist traffic that passes through Dún Laoghaire on a daily basis.

"Road maintenance is an essential service, and if road funding isn't ring-fenced and maintained on a sustainable basis, then clearly roads that continue to deteriorate will ultimately and progressively put lives at even greater risk."