Cost of road repairs 'could exceed €150m'
The cost of repairing the roads following damage from ice and flooding over recent weeks could exceed €150m, with some councils calling on the Government to provide extra funding.
Emergency road repairs have begun around the country following weeks of adverse weather conditions.
Sections of the M1 were described as "disintegrating" following the recent prolonged cold spell.
Now the Government is being urged to provide funding on a per-kilometre basis.
If introduced this change would benefit counties such as Cork, Donegal, Mayo and Galway which have some of the largest road networks in the country.
With engineers estimating the total repair bill to around €150m there are now fears that some of the cash may now have to be taken from road building budgets.
Councils in the north and west are worried the repairs could wipe out their key roads budgets for 2010 unless the Transport Minister sanctions emergency support.
