People Before Profit Galway by-election candidate Denman Rooke has sharply criticised the Government’s slow response to warnings from transport officials that Ireland’s roads and bridges are increasingly vulnerable to climate‑driven damage.
Recent reporting from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) highlights concerns that Ireland’s national road network — a €31 billion asset carrying more than 3.5 million vehicles each day — is at serious risk if not urgently reinforced to withstand intensifying climate impacts.
Officials have warned that only about half of the Republic’s 5,300 km of motorways, national routes, and secondary roads were originally designed with future climate conditions in mind.
Rooke stated the situation reflects a government that consistently underestimates climate risk: “Once again, ordinary taxpayers will be the ones footing the bill for Government inaction. Reinforcing our roads now is far cheaper than repairing climate‑related collapse later — and far safer. As climate change worsens, and Ireland begins to face more intensive storms, investment in Galway’s infrastructure is essential.
“Even as things stand, road conditions across Galway county leave a lot to be desired. Poor drainage and poor maintenance means our roads are in a deteriorated state. Anyone commuting to Galway city from Oughterrard or has taken a trip to or from Clifden knows exactly what I mean.”
TII highlighted a serious funding gap, with current investment levels reportedly around 50% of what they were in 2008.
Rooke outlined, “The State should immediately take the following actions - Massively scale up investment in climate‑resilient road and bridge reinforcement, adopt modern design standards that account for flooding, erosion, and storm intensity; nationalise and expand our public transport options, increase funding for active travel, and invest in Galway Light Rail.
“If we don’t climate-proof now, we will pay more for it in the future: people will be more at risk using our roads, travel may become more disrupted and unpredictable, and could lead to enormous economic disruption.”
Denman Rooke Condemns Government Failure to Act on Climate Impacts
Government’s slow response to warnings about Ireland’s roads and bridges leaves us all at risk. Transport Infrastructure Ireland notes Ireland’s national road network — a €31 billion asset carrying more than 3.5 million vehicles each day — is at serious risk of intensifying climate impacts.
