Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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1882. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the costs associated with the adverse winter of 2015 to 2016 in relation to the roads; the amount of funding that each local authority sought; and the amount of Exchequer funding that was given to each local authority to remedy the damage. [28643/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The initial estimate of the cost of repairs to national, regional and local roads arising from the severe weather in late 2015 and early 2016, based on returns from local authorities, was €88m.

This was followed by Government agreement in January 2016 to allocate €106m to assist in the repair of storm and flood damage to transport infrastructure, including repairs to national, regional and local roads and the rail network.  The regional and local road allocation included funding set aside from my Department's Vote as well as additional funding made available by Government.

Local authorities were requested to provide detailed submissions before allocations were made for repairs to regional and local roads.  The cost of the work included in these submissions amounted to €137.7m in total and a breakdown per county is given in the table.  Following consideration of these submissions, the bulk of the available monies was allocated to local authorities in February to facilitate getting work programmes underway as quickly as possible - these Tranche 1 allocations are set out in the table. 

It was explained to local authorities that a limited amount of funding was being retained to allow for the further assessment of damage, for example, to bridges and that the balance of the available funding would be allocated in May.  The Tranche 2 allocations are as set out in the table. 

* Total drawdown for Galway County and Wexford County includes carryover from a 2015 allocation.

Local authorities were given flexibility to prioritise projects when drawing up their programme of works and informed that the Department of Public Expenditure, in approving the additional funding for repair works, had stipulated that the monies involved had to be drawn down in 2016 and that for that reason works listed in returns for implementation in 2017 could not be considered for funding.

​With regard to funding allocated to address the impact of the severe weather in late 2015/early 2016 on national roads,  details of the drawdown of funding for these roads are a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland. Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to TII for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.