asked the Minister for the Environment if he will ensure that all national primary roadworks throughout the country be carried out by the local authority workers rather than by public contract, due to the fact that there has been a reduction by almost 50 per cent of road workers in each county since the introduction of the public service embargo and furthermore to counteract the serious decline in experience in road-making by roadworkers employed by local authorities; and that public contracts cease immediately.

The relative merits of contract and direct labour roadworks were discussed at a symposium organised by An Foras Forbartha, at the request of my Department in November 1985 and are now being considered by my Department in the context of review of value for money in roadworks generally.