Batt O'Keeffe (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue in the Clare area. It is also a matter of concern within the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. I also welcome the opportunity to outline the progress being made in the significant resourcing of non-national roads in general and to outline the position on these schemes.

In January this year the Minister announced a record allocation of almost €558 million for non-national roads in 2006. This is more than double the 1997 allocation and well over four times the 1994 allocation. The 2006 allocation for regional and local roads is the highest ever State grant provision for such roads and represents a 13% increase over the record 2005 level. In making this provision, the Government was again delivering, as it had in previous years, on its commitment to ensure an adequate financial base for the non-national roads programme.

In accordance with Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993, the construction of non-national roads, including bridges, in its area is a function of the relevant road authority. Work on developing a proposal for a new Shannon crossing has been undertaken by Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary County Councils. From 2004 to the end of 2005, grants totalling approximately €282,000 have been provided to these authorities to develop proposals for the provision of a Shannon crossing.

Clare County Council is the lead local authority for the Shannon crossing and in 2006, a grant allocation of €50,000 was provided to the council for the project under the new strategic non-national roads grant category, which was introduced this year. Under this scheme, grants are provided for schemes which make a significant contribution to the implementation of the national spatial strategy.

To date, a constraints study and route selection study on a Shannon bridge crossing and associated roads have been completed. I understand from inquiries made of Clare County Council that the preliminary design of the preferred option for the Shannon crossing has been also recently completed. Both Clare and North Tipperary County Councils are currently preparing a brief for the appointment of consulting engineers to undertake a constraints study, a route selection study and preliminary design for a bypass of Killaloe and for an upgrade of the R494 regional road between Birdhill and Ballina. The councils are also proposing that the consultants will prepare an environmental impact statement and compulsory purchase order for all three schemes, the Killaloe bypass, the R494 upgrade and the Shannon bridge crossing.

Further progression of these schemes is a matter for the relevant local authorities and further details of the proposals are awaited in the Department. Given the Senator's interest in the matter and its urgency, I will make inquiries of Clare County Council to ascertain the exact position. The question of further grant aid to facilitate the development of the proposals will be considered early in the new year in the context of the 2007 non-national road grant allocations.