Monaghan-based senator Robbie Gallagher pressed a minister for state on the state of roads in the Northern Sound region.
Using question time in the Seanad to highlight the dire state of Cavan and Monaghan roads recently, Senator Gallagher "pleaded" with government to provide emergency funding on top of this year's roads budget allocation to this area. Minister of State with responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Michael Noonan TD, said adverse weather including storms had played havoc with the road network.
He also pointed out the Government had given €658 m to road building, maintenance and repair this year. Senator Gallagher said that was "clearly not enough" and pointed out the minister of state was reading from a statement prepared for him by the Department of Transport.
"With respect," Senator Gallagher said in response to Michael Noonan's statement, "the time for talking about this is over," and asked him to bring back a strong message to the Minister for Transport from Cavan and Monaghan:
