Public spending cuts will affect Wexford's roads "very badly", the county manager has claimed.

Eddie Breen said his views were supported by local councillors, following a €5m cut in repair funds this year.

Central government's decision to slash the budget from €17m to €12m could be repeated again next year, the council fears.

The recently published McCarthy Report proposed cutting overall local authority spend in Ireland by up to €500m in 2010.

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Mr Breen said any reduced budgets would have detrimental affect on the county's roads.

"If road funds continue to collapse the way they did last year and are supposed to next year the list of questions at this part of the meeting is just going to get longer and longer," the county manager told councillors.

Jobs would also be at risk, director of roads services Adrian Doyle warned.

Mr Doyle said at present he cannot give priority to some scheme over others, and concluded that the council would be left to make the decisions.

The council learned that a proposed resurfacing project at Wexford's Quay would be going to tender soon, but at a reduced cost of €600,000.

(PR)