asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware (i) that some months ago the Kerry County Council, by resolution, called for a public inquiry into the cost and method of maintenance of trunk and county roads within their jurisdiction, and (ii) that the ratepayers are not getting sufficient value for the vast and annually increasing expenditure on these works; and, if so, whether he will state what steps he intends to take to allay the anxiety and dissatisfaction that prevails because of the rising costs and of the poor return for the State and local contributions towards the upkeep of these roads.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Maintenance.
The resolution of the Kerry County Council asked for a sworn inquiry into the local authority's method of providing road-making materials. I indicated to the council that I did not consider the procedure of sworn inquiry would be appropriate in the case of a technical investigation of the nature requested by them. My Department conducted a very full examination of the methods in use in different counties, including Kerry, for the production of road material and I have indicated my policy on this question in a circular letter issued on 25th November to all county councils.
asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that the roads in County Kerry and in other turf counties are still in a very bad state of repair due to the abnormally heavy turf traffic they carried during the emergency years; and whether he has considered the question of making special financial provision out of the Road Fund so that these roads may be restored to a condition of repair that would enable the local authority to maintain them out of normal expenditure.
Special provision was made in recent years for grants from the Road Fund to assist local authorities to restore the condition of roads in their charge which suffered abnormal depreciation during the emergency. During the present year special provision was made for full cost grants from the Road Fund for carrying out essential and durable improvements on both main and county roads. Under these grants the councils were enabled to proceed with their programme for the repair or improvement of public roads which had been damaged by turf traffic.
asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that at least ten ratepayers' children, when attending school, must daily use the road between Inchindrisla and Kilgobinet, County Waterlord, which is at least six inches deep in water and mud; and that, despite repeated representations to the county council roads section, nothing has been done to make the road passable; and if he will state whether his Department propose to do anything in the matter or will advise the parents of the children as to some way whereby they may have the road repaired.
The road to which the Deputy refers is not a public road and the Waterford County Council is accordingly not responsible for its maintenance. On the general question of the methods by which the maintenance of such roads may be assisted, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a question on this matter put down by Deputy McQuillan on the 9th November last.