Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator O'Reilly. I have to take this on behalf of the Minister for Transport. I believe he was taking business matters in the Seanad during the week.

I assure the Senator that the Government is strongly committed to protecting our existing road network. This is demonstrated through the Department of Transport's provision of regular grant funding to eligible local authorities. Most recently, it was demonstrated through the provision of an exceptional funding response to the damage caused by Storm Chandra in several counties. Local authorities are responsible by statute for the maintenance and improvement of regional and local roads in their respective areas of responsibility. Any work undertaken on these roads is funded by the resources of the local authority concerned and, where eligible, this is supplemented by the Department of Transport's regional and local roads grant programme.The initial selection and prioritisation of work to be funded is a matter for the local authorities.

Regional and local roads play a critical role in supporting economic activity and community links. As a result, the regional and local roads grant programme is primarily targeted at the maintenance and renewal of our existing roads network, with the remainder invested in new roads, new bridges and road realignments. The funds available through this programme have been steadily increasing in recent years. For 2026, €718 million was made available, which will facilitate an increase of €26 million for road protection and renewal across the country.

The grant programme operated by the Department is focused on specific policy objectives. Restoration maintenance grants look to pavement sealing to protect the road surface from water damage. Restoration improvement grants look to road strengthening to lengthen the life of road pavements. The discretionary grants available allow for a range of activities, including pothole repair, edge strengthening, renewal of signs and lines, and winter maintenance. These three grant programmes account for most of the funding available.

The basis for determining the allocations for each local authority under this grant programme is related to the total number of kilometres of regional and local roads, which is held to be the most equitable method of distribution. For 2026, the allocations were notified to local authorities on 17 February. Cavan County Council was allocated over €19 million, with most of this funding directed towards protection and renewal. In addition, in previous years, Cavan County Council received funding for several pilot projects relating to road materials.

It should be noted that Exchequer funding for regional and local roads is intended to supplement realistic contributions from local authorities’ own resources. As the statutory road authorities for their areas, it is open to local authorities to prioritise own-resource investment towards regional and local roads.

Following consultation by the Department of Transport with each local authority, detailed applications were received by those authorities with severe weather road damage following Storm Chandra. No significant damage from Storm Chandra was identified and notified to the Department by Cavan County Council. Owing to the damage caused by Storm Chandra and remediation being beyond the ability of some local authorities to fund, on 1 July, the Minister for Transport announced the provision of €40 million in exceptional funding to those counties with the most significant storm damage.