Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have replied to a similar question to this already but I admit this is a somewhat different angle. Responsibility for the maintenance and improvement of regional and local roads rests with the relevant local authority. The grant funding provided by the Exchequer is intended to supplement local authorities’ own resources. The capital investment plan provides for the phased restoration of funding to the levels needed to maintain the road network in a steady-state condition and allowing for some investment in road improvement schemes but it is going to take time for funding to build up to the required level.

I announced the 2018 regional and local road allocations on 29 January and all grant funding available to my Department has now been allocated. The grants this year include provision for an 18% increase in restoration improvement moneys for road strengthening works, a 17% increase in restoration maintenance moneys for surface dressing works, the introduction of an important new grant for drainage works to the overall value of €10 million and ring-fenced moneys for community involvement schemes, CIS, to the overall value of €10 million. Following an application process, local authorities will be advised of their grant funding for CIS within a few weeks.

It is a matter for each council to determine its priorities and decide its work programme, taking into account available grant funding and its own resources. In this context I continue to emphasise to local authorities the importance of prioritising roads when allocating their own resources. I have to work within the resources available to me and there is no additional funding available to my Department at present. My colleague, the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, is liaising with local authorities on clean-up costs from the recent severe weather. I have liaised with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and will continue to do so to see if additional resources can be allocated to my Department to assist local authorities further. For now, local authorities should progress their work programmes for the year as quickly as possible. So far €30.3 million in regional and local road grant funding has been drawn down from the total allocation of €417 million.

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