asked the Minister for Local Government why the road through Naas town, County Kildare, has been allowed to deteriorate to its present deplorable state; and when repairs will be carried out.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Naas Road Surface.
42.
Mrs. Hogan O'Higgins
I have allocated a grant of £35,000 to Kildare County Council for the restoration and improvement of the road surface in question. I understand that the condition arose primarily from excavations due to the replacement of a watermain. I am advised that the road work will commence within the coming months.
Seeing that a colleague of the Minister has found fault with the rocky road to Dublin through Naas, could the Minister say if the fault lies with the local authority, whether county council or urban council, for not attending to the road up to now and would he assure us that sufficient funds were always available to carry out this work if they had a mind to do it?
I should not like to apportion blame here. The Deputy is aware that when such work as laying of water mains is done there appears to be a very long delay before the roadway is made good. Usually, the technical advice is that the road has to be allowed to settle. I got a broken axle on one occasion passing over one of those roads. I believe they should be dealt with much more quickly than is the case. When they asked for the money the money was made available.
We gave the same facilities to the Coalition Government. We allowed them to settle.
We are settling in well, the Deputy will be glad to know.
Compaction.