Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 51: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on whether the reduction in the local and regional road maintenance budget will have a negative effect on road safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21641/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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State road grants totalling €447.7 million were allocated to local authorities on 14 April for the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads. These grants, which supplement expenditure by local authorities from their own resources, represent a very significant investment at a time when public finances are under severe pressure. The capital budget for improvement works this year is €321.5 million. This will fund 241 separate improvement projects at various stages of planning, design and construction, as well as 1,700 km of road reconstruction and improvement under the restoration improvement programme.

My Department also finances safety works at high accident locations on the regional and local road network. Grants were allocated to local authorities in April to finance measures at 257 locations. There was no reduction in the April supplementary budget in the provision for maintenance works, and grants of €126 million were allocated to local authorities. The bulk of this, €85 million, is being invested in the restoration maintenance programme and I fully expect to see an increase in surface dressing output achieved by local authorities under this programme this year compared with 2008. Safety is a fundamental consideration in the improvement and maintenance of our road network and this high level of investment is continuing to deliver a significant road safety dividend.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Earlier this year we were, thankfully, 20 deaths down on last year. While every death in a road accident is appalling and regrettable, 70% of all fatal accidents occur on country roads. The Department of Transport's website states that these roads are the economic arteries of local communities, and we all agree. Local and regional roads account for more than 94% of the Irish road network. The Minister has cut €150 million from that network's funding, ranging from Cork to Donegal. The Minister cut €17 million from Cork's local roads fund, €9.7 million from Donegal and €8.8 million from Kildare. If we are serious about safety on our roads and reducing our road deaths, with 70% of all deaths on local roads, how can the Minister stand over cutbacks of €150 million, which mean dangerous bends are not being removed? Even Ministers must know about the serious and significant crumbling of our road structure through out the country. County councillors know about it because they have no funding for it. What will the Minister do about it?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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As I said to the Deputy, the allocation for safety to local authorities has not been touched. It is the same as it was last year. Works will take place in 257 different locations across all the local authorities this year. Work has already taken place in approximately 1,700 or 1,800 danger spots, or accident blackspots as we used to call them.

The Deputy wants to have it every way. His party suggested we cut services and the amounts being spent by €2.5 billion prior to April's budget. I would not have had any road funding for local authorities if I had gone-----

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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We were talking about cutbacks in Government waste, including on FÁS, the HSE and in Departments. We were not talking about what the Minister is doing. He is cutting back on safety and he cannot avoid the issue. If road potholes cannot be filled and if road surfaces are crumbling in every county, town and village, the Minister is making these roads extremely unsafe and dangerous by removing the funding to local government, which it expected. He has failed in his duty of care in regard to road safety. That is a damning indictment of him and his Department.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is talking absolute nonsense again. I have made it quite clear to him that portion of the local authorities' allocation of €126 million, which is used for road surface dressing, maintenance, repair and restoration, has not been touched this year.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In the absence of Deputy McEntee, that concludes priority questions.