More cash needed to fix local and regional roads, Dáil committee told

Local and regional roads are falling into a state of disrepair because the Department of Transport has just half the money needed to ensure their upkeep, resulting in delays of up to four years.

A senior official at the department said the sector’s maintenance budget is hundreds of millions of euro short of what is needed, in part because of drastic cuts demanded during the economic crash.

Speaking at the latest meeting of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee, department secretary general Graham Doyle said the amount of money available to fix existing roads is “a very significant concern” and must be addressed.