Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will allocate funding to carry out works on the R394 Mullingar to Castlepollard road at Taughmon, County Westmeath, as they are urgently required. [15602/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The improvement of non-national roads at the location concerned is a matter for Westmeath County Council. Non-national road schemes are funded from the local authorities' own resources supplemented by grants from my Department. In 2004, my Department sought applications from road authorities for funding under the 2005 EU co-financed specific improvement grants scheme. While Westmeath County Council's application included a request for funding of €100,000 in respect of improvement works to the R394 Mullingar to Castlepollard road at Taughmon, it has not been possible to prioritise this project for funding in 2005. However, five of the eight schemes submitted by the council received an allocation from my Department in 2005. All applications submitted under this scheme were considered in my Department having regard to EU eligibility criteria, the need to prioritise projects, competing demands from other local authorities and the funds available for the scheme in 2005.

My Department will again seek applications under the EU co-financed specific improvement grants scheme later this year and it will be open to the Westmeath County Council to submit a funding application for consideration under this scheme in 2006.