John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 257: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if money will be allocated to Sligo County Council for the R294 regional route within County Sligo; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this route passes through rural areas in need of regeneration. [18655/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The improvement of non-national roads is a matter for road authorities to be funded from their own resources supplemented by State grants. In 2005, a grant of €400,000 was allocated to Sligo County Council under the EU co-financed specific improvements grant scheme for improvement works on the R294 at Mullaghroe. The council has also included two schemes on the R294, at Drumartin and Mullinabreena, in its 2005 restoration improvement programme to be funded from its 2005 restoration improvement grants.

In March 2005, Sligo County Council submitted to my Department a copy of a report prepared jointly by Sligo, Mayo and Roscommon county councils regarding the condition of the R294 between Ballina and Boyle. The report proposed a number of both short and long-term improvement works to the route. The council was informed on 21 March that it would be open to the relevant county councils to include the short-term restoration improvement works in their restoration programmes for 2006 onwards when these programmes are being sought by my Department later this year. In addition, it was informed that it would also be open to the councils to prioritise appropriate works on this route for funding under the EU co-financed specific improvements grant scheme in 2006, when applications are sought later this year by my Department.