Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 99 together.

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on these roads are funded from local authorities' own resources, supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded from this additional funding is also a matter for the local authority concerned.

Last month, I announced that a total of €331.9 million would be provided to local authorities for the maintenance and improvement of regional and local roads in 2014. I will give local authorities significantly increased flexibility this year. I have reduced the number of grant categories, increased the amount allocated under the discretionary grant heading and will facilitate the transfer of funds between key grant categories where local authorities need this. Local authorities can also re-prioritise their road strengthening programme where necessary. In addition, local authorities can use up to 15% of their discretionary grant for the local improvement scheme covering non-public roads.

In making adjustments to the regional and local road allocations in 2014, my primary aim has been, as far as is practicable, to strike an important balance. On the one hand, local authorities will have more flexibility than ever to target funding to appropriate repair and rehabilitation schemes in local areas. On the other hand, I want to ensure key programmes that promote preventative maintenance and safety projects on public roads continue to be funded. Given funding constraints, the Government's priority has to be to protect previous investment in the road network. In short, we are putting maintenance and repair first. It is also particularly important that local authorities do not reduce expenditure from their own resources on roads this year in view of the current difficult situation, and that they carefully reassess their planned road programmes for 2014 in light of the impact of the recent storms on their road networks.

In principle, I intend to give local authorities greater, possibly full, discretion over their spending of State grants for roads in 2015. I believe local authorities and their elected members are best placed to make decisions of where and for what roads funding should be spent in their own county rather than allowing that decision to be made by central government or the Department. This, however, will depend on wider Government consideration of the funding of local authorities and the various sources from which local authorities now receive their funds.

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