Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

51. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a decision is expected on the application received from Galway County Council in regard to funding for a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1791/18]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Tá soiléiriú á lorg agam maidir le hiarratas atá, de réir mar a thuigim, curtha chuig an Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail ag Comhairle Chontae na Gaillimhe maidir le hacmhainní cuí a fháil le caoi níos fearr a chur ar Bhóthar Dhoirefhearta. Ar a laghad, ba cheart go mbeadh an tAire in ann a rá liom an bhfuil an iarratas sin faighte ag an Roinn. Má tá, cén uair a dhéanfar cinneadh maidir leis an obair phráinneach seo?

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

An application for funding for the project referred to by the Deputy was submitted to my Department by Galway County Council under the local improvement scheme in September 2017.

The local improvement scheme supports improvement works on private, non-public roads to improve access for people who live or work along these roads. I understand the project in question relates to a public road; it is, therefore, not eligible for support under the scheme. Responsibility for the maintenance of public roads falls within the remit of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, and Galway County Council has been advised of the position.

A Programme for a Partnership Government and the action plan for rural development commit to investment in the local improvement scheme. Very little funding has been available for the scheme in recent years owing to constraints on public expenditure. However, I was very conscious of the underlying demand for the scheme in rural areas throughout the country. I, therefore, announced in September the provision of €10 million for a local improvement scheme. Based on demand and the capacity of local authorities to complete works before the end of 2017, I announced at the end of November an additional €7.4 million for local authorities for LIS roads. My Department's funding of local improvement schemes is made in the context of my remit to improve quality of life for people living in rural areas. Overall responsibility for roads policy remains with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am at a loss to understand what is going on. B'fhéidir go mbeidh an tAire Stáit, an Teachta Seán Kyne - the Minister's colleague - in ann tuilleadh cabhrach a thabhairt. We have attended public meetings and I have followed all of the correspondence. I have a list of it in front of me. I understand we have already received the reply the Minister has given. I understand from more recent replies that the application is before the Department of Rural and Community Development. At this point what I want to hear is an acknowledgement that this cannot go on. This is a road i gcroílár na Gaeltachta. Tá droch-chaoi ar an mbóthar agus tá sé baolach. It is dangerous and in the heart of the Gaeltacht. I ask for the Minister's assistance in clarifying where the people of Carraroe can go with the application. They are going from Billy to Jack and back to Billy again, from the county council to the wrong Department and then another Department and all the time the condition of the road is worsening. Tá sé ag éirí i bhfad níos measa. Ag an bpointe seo, ar a laghad, I seek direction and a commitment to help the people living in the area to address their legitimate concerns.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can sense the Deputy's frustration. I know that there have been public meetings held about the condition of the road. I also know that the Deputy met the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, during the summer. I introduced the local improvement scheme because of people like the Deputy, Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Kyne, and my colleagues present, but I do not have responsibility for roads. That is a matter for the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross, to whom I will write on behalf of Deputy Catherine Connolly. The application was made to my Department, but it did not qualify under the scheme. To be fair to me and the Department - Deputies Éamon Ó Cuív and Tony McLouglin and the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Kyne, know this - I found the money to make an allocation in respect of every application sent to me under the scheme by local authorities, but the application in question did not fit the criteria. I will refer the matter to the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross. witlh whom I know Deputy Catherine Connolly has been in consultation. I talked to departmental officials recently about dealing with roads, but the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross, is independent. There had not been a local improvement scheme for many years. To be fair to Deputy Catherine Connolly and people like her, they are frustrated. People are paying local property and other taxes and entitled to a road in good condition. I brought forward the local improvement scheme because I could justify its establishment. However, I am afraid the Deputy will have to talk to the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross, who has overall responsibility for roads

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will have no difficulty in doing so. We have the support of all elected representatives in the area. The difficulty is that there is constant confusion. The Minister has clarified repeatedly that the application does not come within the remit of the scheme, but, unfortunately, that is where the application went. I would have thought one Department communicated with another, as the Minister is now planning to do. Earlier there was a discussion between him and an Teachta Éamon Ó Cuív about the millions that had been refunded, yet here is a Gaeltacht community that is struggling to survive and, more importantly, be safe in using the road. At some stage there has to be communication between the two Departments. It is not happening in the absence of support from local Deputies. We have repeatedly attended public meetings and raised the matter. I take on board what the Minister has said that he will personally ensure a letter will go to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in order that someone will follow up on the matter, but att the end of the day it is a very small amount of money chun caoi a chur ar bhóthar atá mar phríomhbhóthar don cheantar agus do chosmhuintir na háite.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can again sense the Deputy's frustration. I will personally do as she asks and write a letter to the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross. I will also contact Galway County Council. We did write to it to tell it that the road did not for qualify for funding under the local improvement scheme. To be fair, I introduced the scheme. I facilitated road access to community facilities to try to accommodate people such as those about whom the Deputy is talking. It is not easy for local councillors to obtain funding and they were not able to undertake big jobs such as the ones I undertook. That is why I set up the scheme and allocated €17.4 million for it last year. If the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport got together with mine, we might be able to provide for a bigger scheme. We must begin to look at the public roads such as the one to which the Deputy referred to see what can be done to support the people she has highlighted.