To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail (i) the percentage of pothole repairs inspected; (ii) the percentage of repairs that were found to be inadequate; (iii) how long repairs were lasting on average, before needing to be repaired again, over the last three financial years; and (iv) whether there is a guarantee or warranty period, during which further repairs are required, without further charge.

My Department identifies actionable defects for repair through routine highway safety inspections and through public reporting via the online Report a Fault system.

Actionable defects are instructed for repair either through our internal or external contractor. On completion of the repair, inspections are undertaken on a percentage of completed road defect repairs by external contractors before payments are processed. Checks on the work of the Department’s internal contractor are also undertaken.

In addition to the contractual checks above, issues will also be recorded at the next routine inspection.

Officials use DEM 160/21 Road Maintenance Standards for Safety – Limited Service when determining actionable defects and the Manual of Contract Documents for Highways Works when determining a repair to be satisfactory.

Temporary and long‑term repairs, as distinct from structural resurfacing, are mainly delivered through Term Contracts for Small‑Scale and Responsive Works. The quality and durability requirements for these repairs are set out in the Specification for Highway Works, alongside contract specific amendments.

Durability is ensured through compliance with the specification, which requires the use of approved materials meeting relevant Standards, adherence to defined construction and workmanship requirements, and the application of inspection and testing regimes.

Temporary repairs are intended to address immediate safety hazards until a permanent repair is completed. They are not designed to provide long‑term durability, and the contract does not specify related time periods. Contractors must, however, ensure temporary repairs remain safe and effective for their short‑term purpose.

Permanent repairs are covered by a 52‑week defect correction period, during which contractors must rectify any defects arising from their materials or workmanship.

However, long and sustained periods of adverse weather, such as those experienced recently in the North, will have an adverse freeze thaw effect on the road network, impacting on the durability of both temporary and long term repairs.