Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

Since 1997, the Exchequer has provided €5.6 billion for regional and local roads. This major investment, coupled with spending from their own resources, has enabled local authorities to make major improvements in the condition and safety of these roads. 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 such as flooding. Holding back such an allocation would mean a reduction across all local authorities in the road grant allocations made to them 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 roads grant circular letter that they should set aside contingency sums from their overall regional and local roads resources to finance necessary weather related works. Local authorities are still assessing the extent of the flood damage in their regions.

The Deputy will appreciate, therefore, that I cannot at this time indicate what funding may be needed or available to address damage caused to the regional and local road network by the recent flooding. I am monitoring the position in the affected local authorities and will take their needs into account when deciding the 2010 road grant allocations early in the new year.

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