Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of the relevant local authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on these roads are funded from the council's own resources supplemented by State road grants. I know from the Deputy's contribution there was an intense rainfall event in County Tipperary over a short period of time. I am aware that the flooding affected properties over quite an area. Unfortunately these severe weather events are becoming more frequent and they highlight the need to focus on the measures needed to address climate change.

As regards the impact on regional and local roads, I can confirm that Tipperary County Council has made initial contact with the Department. It is understood, and I have picked up through Deputy McGrath who mentioned Councillor McGrath, that the council will be making a submission to the Department seeking funding to assist with repair works caused by the severe weather event.

In relation to funding options for repair works, it is established practice that local authorities are advised by the Department that a contingency provision should be reserved from the overall resources available to each local authority for regional and local roads so as to deal with damage caused by severe weather conditions. As regards the Department's grants, local authorities may carry out repairs from the regional and local road grants available to them and from their own resources. In this context it is open to each council to determine and reprioritise its work programme following severe weather events. Where this is not feasible, such as in this case as I gather from Deputy McGrath, the Department always tries to work with local authorities to facilitate the management of repair works in these situations.

Once a submission is received from Tipperary County Council which identifies the works required together with an estimate of the cost, it will be reviewed by Department officials and the Department will liaise further with Tipperary County Council on the necessary repair works and the timing of the works. In the event that national roads were affected in the manner described by the Deputy, Transport Infrastructure Ireland has stated that it is necessary to carry out a survey and hydrological assessment of the culverts and drains in the affected area to understand the cause behind the flooding and to quantify the details and costs of any works to be completed.

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