There has been much talk about services for rural Ireland, but we are now being denied a service we once had, namely, a road between Kilgarvan and Ballingeary. The L3402 has been closed since October of last year. The funeral of a very prominent respected man was held in Ballingeary last Sunday evening and was attended by thousands of people. They practically had to go around the world to get from Kerry to Ballingeary. One very bad road is open, but people cannot pass on it. They then have to go into Ballyvourney. This has been going on for 12 months now. We have been told that the road might reopen some time next year. Pat Twomey was a highly respected man and many people wanted to go to his funeral, but they were delayed both coming and going because of the state of the road.

I am sure the Deputy attended the funeral.

The Deputy should give way to his brother, who wants to raise the same issue.

Cork County Council tells us that the road will open some time next year. There are many reports and investigations going on. This road was built by people with shovels, crowbars and sledgehammers. We have all kinds of machinery now, but this local road is preventing people from Kerry from going to Cork or Ballingeary and vice versa. It is totally unfair. If this were happening here in Dublin, it would have been fixed long ago. If a road were closed here, it would be reopened in two weeks.

The Deputy wants to get in and out of funerals faster.

I also call on the Taoiseach, in the most reasoned possible way, to address this. This road is a vital connection. We often hear about the highest pub in Ireland, the Top of Coom, which is owned by the Creedon family. This issue is affecting businesses such as that one, as well as people on both sides of the county border. This is a cross-border problem. I call on my Cork colleagues to put their shoulders to the wheel in asking the Taoiseach and the Government to deal with this. I have been in contact with the Cork county manager and have pleaded with him to ensure the work will be carried out. It is a vital connection between Kerry and Cork.

I thank the Deputy.

We are all disappointed that it has been shut down for a year. This would not be allowed to happen in any other part of Ireland.