Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I sincerely thank Deputy Murphy for bringing up this issue. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this topic with Members on behalf of the Minister for Transport.

I understand that the Deputy’s question primarily relates to the current system for calculating funding allocations for the protection and renewal of the regional and local road network. I will provide some information for clarity. I know Deputy Murphy is all too familiar with it. I will then deal with the specifics on funding, if that is agreeable to the Deputy. I will run through it as quickly as I can.

As outlined in the 2024 regional and local roads programme released on 15 February this year, the Government is strongly committed to protecting the existing regional and local road network. This facilitates business, education, tourism, healthcare, agriculture and the provision of critical services and activities. The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads are the statutory responsibility of each local authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from councils' own resources, supplemented by State road grants.

Ireland's regional and local road network spans over 96,000 km. The network requires significant funding to ensure it remains fit for purpose, safe and resilient. As such, €658 million was allocated to regional and local road grants in 2024, with approximately 90% of this funding being directed towards maintenance and renewal works. This funding supports local authorities in fulfilling their statutory responsibilities.

Due to the vast scale of the network, the Department of Transport employs an array of grant types to ensure investment is targeted across the network, from supporting scheduled maintenance works to funding climate adaptation projects, which aims to build resilience in the road network against severe weather events.

Within the budget available to the Department, State grant funding is allocated on as fair and equitable a basis as possible to ensure that all local authorities are in receipt of funds to maintain the network. The allocation of the three biggest Exchequer grant types, namely, restoration maintenance, restoration improvement and discretionary grants, is based on the length of regional and local roads within a local authority's area, with additional weighting based on contributing traffic factors in specific areas.

The rationale for this approach is that it is objective, it avoids onerous administrative and monitoring burdens on both local authorities and the Department of Transport and, critically, it avoids any perverse incentives that might arise if another basis were used. For example, providing higher levels of Exchequer funding where road quality is lower could create a disincentive for local authorities to devote own resource funding towards achieving a high-quality network. As mentioned, each local authority is legally responsible for ensuring its network is maintained and improved.

This approach also means that, while central government is supplying significant funding, we are acknowledging that local authorities themselves are best placed to make determinations in their areas for maximum delivery of results. Indeed, the initial selection and prioritisation of maintenance and renewal works are matters for each local authority. There is flexibility within the State grant programme for councils to direct resources to address particular problems identified on their networks as they see fit.

We encourage local authority officials, be they from Wexford or otherwise, to contribute in that manner. I have no doubt that if additional State funding is required, that case can be made and Deputy Murphy has made it very eloquently here this evening. I am more than prepared to pass that on. Responsibility lies with the Minister and the statutory agency and it requires a bit of work. Perhaps a meeting organised by the Deputy between a deputation from Wexford County Council and the Minister responsible with officials of the State agency would be in order. I would be more than happy to write in support of that proposal after this evening's engagement.

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