I am sure the Ceann Comhairle has noticed that the condition of many local rural roads is deplorable and that the situation has been getting worse in every year of this Government. The fact is that the Government is starving local authorities of the funding needed to maintain the current poor state of local roads, never mind to ensure the situation can improve. The result is that at a time when fuel prices have been increased by the Government, many people travelling in rural communities are bursting their tyres on local roads or other damage is being caused to their cars. It appears the Government is sitting on its hands. I have never seen so many local roads in my own county of Monaghan in such a poor state of repair. I ask the Tánaiste to give me a yes-no answer to the following question: will the Government provide sufficient additional funding to local councils so they can undertake the road resurfacing programmes that are desperately needed?

Deputies Niamh Smyth and Brendan Smith have consistently made the same point in respect of the roads in Cavan and Monaghan and the need for additionality.

It has not done any good.

The fundamental problem is that even though the funding has increased, inflation has been quite dramatic in terms of the input costs. Senator Gallagher pointed this out to me last evening. Having consulted road engineers in the area, he went through the input costs involved in getting a road repaired today compared with two years ago, which is quite dramatic for bitumen and other materials. That inflation has eaten away-----

Will the Government provide additional funding to address that?

-----at the effectiveness of the allocation. I am keeping it under review.