Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is a statutory function of each local authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on such roads are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by Exchequer road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of projects to be funded from these moneys is a matter for each local authority.

In this context, I wish to clarify the position regarding the basis for the figures published in the NOAC performance reports mentioned in the Deputy's question. My Department has been supporting the development of a road asset management system for regional and local roads over the past number of years. The Road Management Office, RMO, has been established as a shared service between 31 local authorities. The RMO and the Department have been working with local authorities to ensure that the MapRoad pavement management system includes a record of all pavement-related works and information on road surface types and road pavement condition.

The road pavement condition information generated by the MapRoad system actually forms the basis for NOAC performance reports. It is the case that the performance reports show the impact of the significant cuts in funding for roads during the recession. The reality is that until funding reaches a steady-state level and progress is made on addressing the backlog, there is likely to be a dis-improvement in the ratings reported by the NOAC.

The objective of the MapRoad pavement management system and the NOAC reports is to provide the data needed for evidence-based prioritisation and management of both annual work programmes and multi-annual programmes by each local authority in its capacity as the statutory road authority for its area to enable local authorities to use the resources available to them as effectively as possible.

As regards funding, the grant assistance provided by my Department has increased from €324 million in 2017 to €417 million this year. The capital plan also provides for the gradual build up in capital funding over the next number of years. The grant assistance provided by my Department does not, however, represent the total investment in regional and local roads. Exchequer grant funding is in addition to the own resources local authorities invest in their roads.

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