Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Question 25: To ask the Minister for Transport the way he will finance local authorities sufficiently to improve the conditions of roads, in view of the fact that 70% of all road deaths take place on rural roads, and improvements required in respect of recent flood damage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46219/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Since 1997, the Exchequer has provided €5.6 billion for regional and local roads. This major investment, coupled with spending from their own resources, has enabled local authorities to make major improvements in the condition and safety of these roads. When Exchequer grants for regional and local roads are allocated each year my Department does not hold back a reserve allocation at central level to deal with weather contingencies such as flooding. Holding back such an allocation would mean a reduction across all local authorities in the road grant allocations made to them at the beginning of each year.

The allocations made to local authorities are inclusive of a weather risk factor. Local authorities are expressly advised in the annual roads grant circular letter that they should set aside contingency sums from their overall regional and local roads resources to finance necessary weather related works. Local authorities are still assessing the extent of the flood damage in their regions.

The Deputy will appreciate, therefore, that I cannot at this time indicate what funding may be needed or available to address damage caused to the regional and local road network by the recent flooding. I am monitoring the position in the affected local authorities and will take their needs into account when deciding the 2010 road grant allocations early in the new year.

Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Minister cited the large allocation to local authorities. As the Fine Gael Party spokesperson on road safety, I supported many popular and unpopular measures he has introduced. We must not kid ourselves. The condition of rural roads has deteriorated throughout the country. Having visited practically every county this year, some rural roads will shortly be closed on health and safety grounds.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Deputy must ask a question.

Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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One can argue that local authorities are being provided this or that amount but none of the local authorities I have contacted has the price of a shovel of sand, not to speak of tarmac. How does the Minister intend to ensure that Ireland's road safety record continues to improve from being among the worst in Europe to among the best? If we do not mend our roads, our road safety record will be the worst in Europe again.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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While the overall amount allocated for local and regional roads was reduced last year, I maintained the level of grant aid to local authorities in the specific area of road safety. Despite the more straitened financial circumstances, about which we will hear later, I hope to be able to maintain the amount provided for accident blackspots, etc., in this year's allocation. The allocation is based on accident data and the inspection of sites and locations that have been shown to be hazardous. The Department will consult the local authorities and National Roads Authority to try to ensure the allocation is spent in the most effective manner possible.

Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I concur with the Minister on the identification of accident blackspots and so forth. However, as every Deputy is aware, the condition of some rural roads has deteriorated to the extent that some will be closed for health and safety reasons in the coming spring. The Minister has a responsibility to ensure county councils are properly financed. He referred to the money that has been allocated. Either the allocation is not sufficient or the councils are holding back money. I do not believe the latter possibility is the case because, as everyone knows, county councils are broke. Last week, the first black frost of the year resulted in a number of unnecessary road traffic fatalities and a large number of cars were written off in accidents around the country.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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As I stated, local authorities are told at the beginning of the year, when they receive their allocation, that they should make provision for weather conditions, including the requirement to grit roads when there is frost. The local authorities should have done this. The role of the Minister for Transport is not to finance local authorities but to supplement the grants they use on roads. In this case, "supplement" is the operative word. It is up to the local authorities to finance their roads. We pay for approximately 80% of the work local authorities do on roads but it is not my job to finance local authorities. That is the job of another Minister.

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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We know the Minister does not do that anyway.