Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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Question 693: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will report on his meeting with an organisation (details supplied) in County Galway; the undertaking and commitments given to the organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34370/06]

Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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Question 694: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will inform Galway County Council that funding is available from his Department, on request, to finance the up-grade of the Tubber Road, Gort, to facilitate the provision of a second access to Gort Town from the proposed new N18; if he will further inform the County Council that the Government supports the provision of the second access as per his statement to an organisation (details supplied) when he met them in Gort recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34371/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 693 and 694 together.

I met with the Gort Regional Alliance for Community and Environment during a visit to Galway on 6 June last. One of the issues raised was the access to Gort from the proposed new N18 by-pass. The access road to Gort town from the proposed by-pass would be a national road and accordingly responsibility would be a matter for Galway County Council in conjunction with the National Roads Authority which operates under the aegis of my colleague the Minister for Transport. My Department has no function in relation to national roads.

The improvement and maintenance of non-national roads in Galway, including the Tubber road, is a matter for Galway County Council to be financed from its own resources supplemented by State grants provided by my Department. The initial selection and prioritisation of projects to be financed from these grants is also a matter for the Council. In July 2006, my Department invited local authorities to submit applications for consideration for funding in 2007 under the EU Co-Financed Specific Improvements Grant scheme. It is open to the Council to select and prioritise the Tubber road for consideration for funding in 2007 under that scheme.

All applications for funding under the scheme will be considered by my Department, having regard to the need to prioritise projects, compliance with EU eligibility criteria, competing demands from other local authorities and the funds available for the scheme in 2007. It is also open to the Council to fund works on this road from its Discretionary Improvement grant or from its own resources.

I intend to announce non-national roads grant allocations for 2007, including allocations to County Councils for EU Co-Financed schemes, early next year.