Five billion euro is needed over the next seven years to repair the country’s roads, according to the Transport Minister Shane Ross.

Up to €106m has been set aside for emergency repairs, caused by February’s flooding, but Mr Ross claims that will not be enough.

Officials say road quality will continue to decline over the next three years because not enough will be spent to keep them in “a steady state” until then.

Conor Faughnan of AA Roadwatch says smaller roads pose the biggest problem.

Mr Faughnan said: “The main road network, which we do obviously have to maintain, is in reasonably good shape, it carries about half of all traffic.

“The other half is dispersed among 88,000 to 90,000kms of second and third-level roads, and no matter who is in power and no matter what your political views, that is a challenge.”