Dáil debates
Tuesday, 12 June 2018
Topical Issue Debate
Road Improvement Schemes
7:00 pm
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Mar aon leis an Teachta Eamon Ryan, tá an-díomá orm nach bhfuil an tAire sinsearach anseo. Bhí sé anseo níos luaithe agus d'fhéadfadh sé fanacht. Is dóigh liom go dtaispeánann sé easpa measa ar an Dáil agus ar Thithe an Oireachtais nach bhfuil sé anseo. Ar ndóigh, ní hé seo an chéad uair a d'ardaigh mé ceist an bhóthair seo. Tá droch-chaoi ar an mbóthar. Tá sé contúirteach i láthair na huaire. Tá cuid den bhóthar ag titim. Tá an bruach tite isteach. Go bunúsach, is féidir a rá go bhfuil an Rialtas ag déanamh faillí ar bhóithre tuaithe. Ar ball beag, bhíomar ag caint faoi lánaí bus i mBaile Átha Cliath. Tá níos mó daoine ina gcónaí amuigh faoin tuath in Éirinn ná mar atá i gcathair Átha Cliath. Níl fadhb ar bith €1.5 billiún a chaitheamh go héasca sa chathair ar lánaí bus, agus €3 billiún eile a chaitheamh ar an meitreo, ach ní féidir linn cúpla euro suarach a fháil le caoi a chur ar na bóithre tuaithe. Tá airgead beag á lorg againn le hobair fíorphráinneach a dhéanamh ar Bhóthar Dhoire Fhearta. Ba cheart tús a chur leis an bpleanáil chun an cuid eile a dhéanamh. An mbeidh an Roinn ag cur airgead breise ar fáil do na comhairlí contae i mbliana? Má tá airgead breise ar fáil, cén chaoi ina roinnfear an t-airgead sin idir na comhairlí contae? An mbeidh an Roinn ag iarraidh iarratais ar an airgead breise sin i mbliana?
Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I also wish to speak in favour of improvements to Bóthar Dhoire Fhearta in Cearthrú Rua. It is a local road which has been an ongoing issue for residents there for many years.
The county council has acquired land in order to widen the road and deal with part of the problem, namely that it is very narrow in places. Some work has been done and our call today is for funding to be made available for the most dangerous part of the road. There is a very dangerous bend where there are no sight lines. Schoolchildren travel on this road each day. There are double-decker buses filled with students. As we move into the summer period, the Gaeltacht summer courses will commence and there will be a huge influx of people who will use this road. Thousands of vehicles use it daily and over many years, residents have called for this to be addressed. One more spell of bad weather could seriously undermine the road and we need funding to start the process at least, as it is critical that we start to deal with the most dangerous areas.
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Tá mé tuirseach traochta ag ardú na ceiste seo. Tá cúrsaí sábháilteachta agus sláinte i gceist. Táimid ag caint faoi phíosa bóthair nach bhfuil rófhada, agus a cheanglaíonn An Cheathrú Rua leis an R374, a théann siar go dtí na hoileáin. Is é an chéad rud atáimid ag iarraidh a chur os comhair na Dála ná cé chomh práinneach agus chomh baolach is atá an t-ábhar seo. Tá an tAire ar an eolas anois agus ní mór dá Roinn rud éigin a dhéanamh. Tá imní mhór ar an gcoiste áitiúil nach bhfuil ann ach ceist ama go dtí go marófar duine i dtimpiste ar an mbóthar seo. Bhí na hAirí Stáit, na Teachtaí McHugh agus Kyne, amuigh ag breathnú ar an mbóthar seo inné agus cúpla mí ó shin. Níl a fhios agam cé mhéad cruinniú ar a d'fhreastail muidne agus na Teachtaí Dála eile ón Dáilcheantar i leith na ceiste seo le blianta beaga anuas. Tá daoine ag impí orainn rud éigin a dhéanamh. Níl i gceist, i ndáiríre, ach airgead suarach. Táimid ag iarraidh ar an Rialtas ar a laghad tús a chur leis an obair atá ag teastáil anois ionas nach mbeidh sábháilteacht agus sláinte i mbaol.
Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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Gabhaim mo leithscéal nach bhfuil an tAire anseo. Beidh mé ag labhairt ar a shon agus an freagra seo á léamh agam. Tógfaidh mé teachtaireacht ar ais chuige ó na Teachtaí. Tá an freagra atá agam i mBéarla. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ross.
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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We do not need a translation service, we do understand English. The Department was offering us translation services.
Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is okay. Tóg go bog é.
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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We greatly appreciate the offer but we do understand English.
Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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This matter has been raised with the Minister, Deputy Ross, previously and I am pleased to restate the position in the House this evening.
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is 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 the local authority’s own resources supplemented by State road grants.
I must emphasise that the initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is a matter for the local authority. Regarding grants provided by my Department, allocations are made at county council level and the distribution of grants to municipal districts is a matter for each council. It is also open to each local authority to prioritise the allocation of its own resources to address road issues in particular areas.
Before the financial crisis, local authorities could apply on a regular basis for specific grants for schemes costing less than €5 million and for strategic improvement grants for schemes costing more than €5 million with a view to strengthening, widening or realigning regional and local roads. However, the extent of the cutbacks in grant funding during the crisis meant these grant schemes had to be curtailed from 2013 because expenditure on maintenance or renewal was falling well short of what was required to adequately maintain the regional and local road network.
The capital plan does provide for the gradual build up in funding for the road network but it will take some years yet to reach the level required for the adequate maintenance and renewal of the network.
For this reason there continues to be very limited scope for funding projects under the specific grant programme. Any projects proposed by local authorities for consideration under this grant programme are assessed by the Department on a case-by-case basis, with particular consideration given to higher cost bridge rehabilitation works, significant safety schemes and improvement works that promote employment. All projects put forward by local authorities for consideration must comply with the requirements of the public spending code and the Department’s capital appraisal framework. For this reason the Department has issued an updated set of project appraisal documentation to local authorities. If Galway County Council wishes to prioritise works on the Derrartha Road then it needs to undertake and submit to the Department a preliminary appraisal for the project. Any such appraisal would need to consider options and costings for any improvement works. Any appraisal submitted by the council would then be examined by the Department along with other proposals from other local authorities. Given continuing funding constraints on all projects there is considerable competition for available funds.
7:10 pm
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Fáiltím go mór roimh an dá alt deiridh den mhéid atá ráite ag an Aire Stáit. Beimid ag cur ceiste anois ar Chomhairle Contae na Gaillimhe an bhfuil sé i gceist aici measúnú a dhéanamh ar Bhóthar Dhoire Fhearta le cur chuig an Roinn. Tá dhá cheist agam don Aire Stáit. An bhfuil airgead ar fáil leis an réamh-mheasúnú a dhéanamh nó an gcaitear é a dhéanamh as airgead na comhairle contae? Is í mo dara cheist an cheist a chuir mé an chéad uair. An mbeidh allúntas breise á thabhairt do chomhairlí contae i mbliana - abraimís ag tús Mheán Fómhair tar éis an tsamhraidh - le cur leis an méid airgid bóithre a fuair siad go dtí seo? Bhíodh an nós sin ag an Roinn Iompair, Turasóireachta agus Spóirt. An mbeidh airgead breise á thabhairt do chomhairlí contae i mbliana? Da mbeadh, d'fhéadfaí cuid den obair fhíorphráinneach atá le déanamh ar an mbóthar seo a dhéanamh láithreach.
Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. We have to meet Galway County Council and we will be asking it to submit that preliminary appraisal for the project. As I stated, perhaps it could even commence on the critical, really dangerous area of that road. As I understand it, that would cost far less than the total upgrade of the entire section. Many of the residents would be very happy if the council could even start with that. I accept the procedure here but we will be in contact with Galway County Council. It is important that we raised the issue here with the Minister of State's Department in order that it can be given top priority once this appraisal has been received.
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I dtús báire ba mhaith liom a rá gur maslach é freagra a thabhairt i mBéarla. Seo Bliain na Gaeilge. Mar Chathaoirleach Chomhchoiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus na nOileán, cuireann sé isteach go mór orm go bhfuil an freagra i mBéarla. Sin rud amháin. Araon le mo chomhghleacaí, fáiltím roimh an dá alt deireanach. Tá rud dearfach ansin. Tá litir os mo chomhair anseo ón innealtóir is sinsearaí sa chomhairle contae ag rá gur chuir an chomhairle iarratas isteach, go raibh an t-iarratas sin os comhair na Roinne ó Mí Eanáir, agus go bhfuil sé ag fanacht ar fhreagra. Dúirt sé go bhfuair sé glaoch gutháin tar éis an t-iarratas a chur isteach agus go ndúradh leis go raibh scéim dheontais faoi leith ann agus go raibh an Roinn ag breathnú ar an gceist seo faoin deontas sin. Tá iarratas curtha isteach de réir mar a thuigim. Is maslach ar leibhéal eile an freagra seo mar níl a obair bhaile déanta ag an Roinn maidir leis na comhaid atá agam anseo agus maidir leis an uafás litreacha agus iarratas atá curtha isteach. Ar a laghad, an dtabharfaidh an tAire Stáit soiléiriú dúinn anois mar gheall ar an iarratas atá curtha isteach ag an gcomhairle contae?
Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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Mar a dúirt mé, thóg mé na ceisteanna sin ar son an Aire féin chun freagra a thabhairt do na Teachtaí faoi shonraí na scéime seo. Tá nóta agam anseo a deireann that there has been significant local lobbying for Galway County Council to carry out road improvement works on the local Derrartha Road, which connects the island areas of Connemara with An Cheathrú Rua. While Galway County Council did write to the Department about funding for this road in January of this year, the county council would need to submit a preliminary appraisal as required under the updated project appraisals process and any such appraisal would need to consider options and costings. I know from lobbying for improvements to roads in my native county that this is the procedure the Department now looks for. It seeks to have local authorities complete these appraisals in advance of further funding allocations for the specific improvement grants. I know the documentation had been awaited for quite some time and was only finalised and distributed to the local authorities in recent weeks. I urge the Deputies to continue to engage closely with the local authority as Deputy Naughton suggested. I am quite familiar with the part of the country to which the Deputies are referring and I understand the challenges there in terms of the sheer logistics of getting around and the risks of losing key infrastructure. I appreciate that this is a matter of urgency and I will be raising the matter further with the Minister, Deputy Ross. I apologise that I am not in a position to give any further detail on the specifics or some of the minutiae which might perhaps be more helpful in this regard but I will pass on the Deputies' serious concerns in respect of this matter.