Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 347: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the funding available to local authorities for the erection of flashing amber safety lights at schools; the budget available within his Department for this initiative; if the funds can be used to erect electronic speed limit signs or if it is specifically for flashing amber safety lights; the allocation provided to each local authority in 2005 for this scheme; the number of schools where such lights have been erected to date under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23852/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the CLÁR Non-National Roads Measure which operated in 2005 and which was co-funded with the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government, local authorities had the option to install flashing amber safety lights at primary schools. In this regard, nine local authorities funded 52 sets of lights at a cost to CLÁR of €154,177.

I subsequently introduced a fully funded Flashing Amber Safety Lights measure in 2005 for schools without same under CLÁR and all proposals received from the local authorities in the original CLÁR areas were approved at a total cost of nearly €1.7m for 242 schools. Five local authorities claimed €236,531 in respect of 37 completed projects. Any residual projects in the original areas, that may have been inadvertently omitted by the local authorities in the first round, can continue to be submitted.

In May 2006, I announced that funding in the region of €3m for 2006/2007 is being made available for the provision of Flashing Amber Safety Lights at all primary schools in the extended CLÁR areas that do not have some already. This measure is fully funded under the CLÁR programme and all the relevant local authorities have been asked to submit proposals. The maximum cost per set of these lights is €7,000. Should a local authority opt to install electronic speed limit signs with the amber lights, the maximum funding under CLÁR stands at €7,000 towards the cost. My Department is currently examining proposals received and announcements will be made in due course.

Tables A and B respectively detail this information.