Matt Carthy

Overall sentiment: -0.11
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At a time when petrol and diesel costs are rising again and when the Tánaiste's Government has indicated that it intends to raise carbon tax even further, does he understand the anger of people who cannot drive on their local roads because of the conditions? People in rural areas, as well as paying for huge fuel costs, are forking out for motor tax, local property tax, which the Government has increased, and soaring insurance prices, yet many local roads are in the worst condition in decades. In that context, it is unacceptable that funding provided to local roads has actually been reduced in counties like Cavan and Monaghan. In fact, in Monaghan, for example, the allocation for local roads improvements has been reduced by nearly €800,000 this year compared with last year. That is happening at a time when the cost of repairing roads is also increasing, so the funding cuts are even more unacceptable. Will the Tánaiste ensure that the local road funding allocations are reviewed as a matter of urgency so that people who are paying all these charges actually have roads that are in a fit condition to drive on?

Sentiment score: -0.08

Have the Tánaiste's representatives not been telling him?

Sentiment score: 0.00

The Government cut the funding for local roads by €800,000.

Sentiment score: -0.27

But the Tánaiste is not answering it.

Sentiment score: 0.00

That is not good enough. We need a review.

Sentiment score: -0.17