Page 44 of the programme for Government contains a commitment to increase the budget for local and regional roads by 50%. This morning, I will focus on class 3 local roads, often referred to as culs-de-sac, which are listed as council roads in each local authority's road schedule. That schedule legally obligates the local authority to maintain these roads, yet they have been ignored for years as regards repairs and road surfacing. My blood boils when I hear that residents living on these roads, many of whom have no resources, are being advised to apply for funding under the community involvement schemes. As I have said before, these people living on third class roads are being treated as third class citizens with no equity. Will the Government and the Minister responsible encourage or advise each local authority that fairness and equity prevail in respect of road allocation on local roads? These people must be treated in a fair and equitable way. They are entitled to be able to go about their business but they are not able to do so in many of these culs-de-sac which are council roads.

I am speaking on behalf of my colleagues in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and of the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring. There are two schemes, the local improvement scheme and the community involvement scheme, which are funded, one from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and one from the Department of Rural and Community Development. Both have seen significant increases in funding in the last few years. I know the point the Deputy is making in respect of homeowners or landowners having to contribute. The reality is that until those schemes were introduced by the rainbow Government in 1995 or 1996, cul-de-sac roads had no money spent on them-----

Not true.

-----because the traffic and through traffic on them would obviously be significantly lower than on through roads.

The Minister of State is chancing his arm.

I am not. It is a fact. I was a member of the council shortly afterwards and this scheme-----

I was a member of the council at the time.

Funding for the scheme has been increased in the last couple of years. It was during the time of the recession that it was parked.

Can we get an answer to the question?

It is a function of the Minister but we have to get them out from their coffee breaks.

Funding has been increased and more funding is planned in this budget.