Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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69. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the commitment in the programme for Government to maintain the existing road network to a high standard and fund safety improvements; if he will ensure that much needed additional funding will be provided for the non-national road network in 2024 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22079/24]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, will have heard me highlight the urgent need to provide additional funding for the non-national road network in counties Cavan and Monaghan. The Minister of State and the Minister have met councillors and council officials in both counties. We took that opportunity to outline clearly to them that in view of the particular problems we have, in an area that has drumlin territory, we need additional funding. The commitment in the programme for Government to keep roads up to a proper standard is not being honoured at present. Both Cavan and Monaghan councils need additional funding this year for the non-national road network.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I fully support the commitment in the programme for Government to maintain the existing road network to a high standard and to fund safety improvements.

That being said, in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993, each local authority has statutory responsibility for the improvement and maintenance of its regional and local road network. Works on regional and local roads are funded from local authorities' own resources and are supplemented by State road grants.

The primary focus for capital investment under the national development plan continues to be the protection and renewal of the regional and local road network, which plays a critical role in supporting economic and community links throughout the country. 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.

I was delighted to allocate €658 million towards regional and local roads this year with approximately 90% of this funding being directed towards maintenance and renewal works as per the programme for Government commitment. This allocation represents a €32 million increase in State funding compared with last year. Of this funding, over €10.5 million was allocated under the safety improvement works grant programme to regional and local roads for 261 schemes across the State while a further €10.1 million of specific improvement grant programme funding was allocated to schemes related to safety improvements. In addition to protecting and renewing the regional and local road network, it is a priority to carry out targeted improvements to sections of the network and €677 million has been earmarked towards this aim over the lifetime of the NDP.

I recognise the impact that persistent rainfall has had on the regional and local road network this winter and I am exploring options as to any supports that might potentially be provided to local authorities. Of course, this will be dependent on the availability of funding from across my Department's wider investment programme.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the final sentence of the Minister's response, where he says that he will examine ways to give more support to local authorities. That needs to be done now. I have been highlighting this issue since 2020. The incessant rainfall has done damage even to relatively good roads. Cavan and Monaghan depend heavily on the non-national road network. In County Cavan, 96% of the road network is made up of local and regional roads. They carry significant volumes of heavy goods traffic and 92% of County Cavan is covered by drumlin soils, mountain and hill peats, which causes difficulty in maintaining a road network.

The Minister talked about local authorities' own resources. The local authorities in Cavan and Monaghan have very limited resources because they do not have a funding base. They are not like Fingal County Council, South Dublin County Council or Dublin City Council, which have vast amounts of resources available to them. To the credit of the councillors, the county councils in Cavan and Monaghan decided to put in substantial resources, allied to the Government grants, over the years. However, we do not have enough of a financial contribution from the Department of Transport to carry out the road works programme we need to undertake. People living on regional, county and local roads and on laneways are as entitled to a proper standard of road to their homes, businesses and farms as the people living along motorways or in city areas where there are public transport systems, public lighting and so on.

It is time to stop the examination and to allocate additional resources. We need it this year because of the damage that has been done. As the Minister will know - he has agreed with me when answering questions previously - it is a good investment to protect the roads that are in reasonable condition because, the longer roads are allowed to deteriorate for, the bigger the bill for our local authorities will be.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I support Deputy Smith. He has been a consistent advocate for investment in local roads. Not a week goes by that he does not raise the matter. I lend my support to his requests. As the Minister will know, Cork has the largest road network in the country. The underinvestment in our roads down there is apparent for all to see. The county council is still waiting on funding to deal with road and bridge repairs following Storm Babet in November. Will the Minister give us an update on that and whether additional funding will be forthcoming?

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I absolutely agree with Deputies Smith and O'Sullivan. Investment in maintaining our roads is our first priority and the best investment because, as the Deputy has said, if you let them go, it costs much more to restore them. There are also great safety and other benefits to properly surfaced and dressed roads. Funding for road maintenance has increased by 20% over the last four years, the lifetime of this Government.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Unfortunately, the cost of construction products and energy costs have gone up dramatically.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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That is true but there was an increase in the budget. Last year, Cavan got a budget of €18.14 million, an increase of €629,000 on the previous year. Monaghan got some €17 million, an increase of €834,000 on the previous year. I have met the officials and engineers in the county councils in Monaghan and Cavan and they do a very good job. They are highly innovative. They are advancing a new means of using reclaimed asphalt to save money, protect the environment and improve roads. We are looking at the funding. It is not easy because our Department is over budget. Last week, we had a Cabinet review on each Department's capital and current spend. We are significantly ahead of profile on both. It is a challenge but we are seeking to divert resources as best we can. To a certain extent, the difficulty is that every county has experienced those extensive rainfall events. That is part of the problem this year. When the lump sum is divided between every county, not every council will necessarily get what it wants. We are looking at that, however. To respond to Deputy O'Sullivan-----

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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We are drumlin territory.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I understand that. The area also has a very dispersed and wide network of roads but so do other counties. Cork is a good example. To answer Deputy O'Sullivan's question, we are working with Cork County Council to provide the funding it needs for the roads that were affected by the flooding in Glanmire and Midleton. The resources are somewhat constrained by how quickly the council can spend them but it is being provided with what it needs.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I again appeal to the Minister to give particular consideration to the request of councils like those of Cavan and Monaghan. As he will know from the officials and from our councillors, the councils do a very good job but we have very serious problems at the minute. The incessant rainfall of the past few years, the increased cost of energy and the resultant increase in the cost of construction products have had a very significant effect. I assure the Minister that, at the earliest possible date he can allocate additional resources, that money will be put to good use in both Cavan and Monaghan.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I assure the Deputy that we will do everything we can. In honesty, the budget available to us is limited but we will try to reallocate any funding we can garner from other areas. The Deputy is right about the increase in costs. The increase in the cost of bitumen and other materials was very significant. It gives us a certain hope that those inflationary impacts are starting to reduce. We are seeing inflation, including inflation in building materials and road building equipment and materials, coming right down. I hope that will help us to address what I recognise to be a tight situation, which we will do everything we can to resolve.