David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has received correspondence from Youghal Town Council regarding the need for emergency local road repair funding; if such funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5881/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. The carrying out of works on these roads is a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of projects to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.

When Exchequer grants for regional and local roads are allocated each year, my Department does not hold back a reserve allocation, at central level, to deal with weather contingencies. Holding back such an allocation would mean a reduction in the road grant allocations made to all local authorities at the beginning of each year.

The allocations made to local authorities are inclusive of a weather risk factor. Local authorities are expressly advised in the annual road grants circular letter that they should set aside contingency sums from their overall regional and local roads resources to finance necessary weather related works.

My role in addressing damage caused to the road network is in disbursing the amount of money provided in the 2010 Estimates for funding regional and local roads, that is, €411.177 million, in the fairest manner possible.

I have received a submission from Youghal Town Council, seeking additional funding for the repair of roads damaged by the recent severe weather. I will have regard to this information when deciding on the 2010 regional and local road grand allocations. I will announce the allocations by mid February 2010 at the latest.