I raise the issue of funding for the local improvement schemes in Donegal. While I welcome the recent allocation of €1.2 million, the reality on the ground is that the level of funding is far from sufficient to meet demand. The Donegal municipal district, which was my district, currently has between 250 and 300 applications waiting. Many of these date back as far as 2016. This highlights the large scale of the backlog. At present, funding only allows the council to do work on approximately five or six lanes per year. As a result, councillors from all parties are dealing with calls to their constituency offices from residents who are frustrated and angry. These people, who have been waiting for years, cannot understand why the progress is so slow.

Donegal is a rural county and many of these roads serve family homes, farms and even small businesses. This is essential infrastructure for us. Will the Department undertake an urgent review of the level of funding available to Donegal under the scheme?

Finally, like my colleagues, I want to support Ireland this evening. I hope we can do the business, especially Killybegs native and proud Donegal man, Séamie Coleman. Hopefully, when he comes back to Killybegs, it will be to a hero's welcome.