John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has received a letter from the Department of Transport seeking advice on the Waterford County Council application for 100% funding for the R708 access road to Waterford Airport; when that letter was received; the response he has given or plans to give to his colleague; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36921/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The provision and improvement of non-national roads in County Waterford is a matter for Waterford County Council to be financed from its own resources supplemented by State grants provided by my Department. Grants totalling €635,091 were provided by my Department to Waterford County Council for this project over the period 2003 to 2005. In 2006, a grant of €366,000 was allocated to the Council for the project under the new grants scheme for strategic non-national roads which support the National Spatial Strategy.

Waterford County Council wrote to my Department earlier this year requesting an increase in the rate of funding for the R708 Access Road to Waterford Airport from 75% to 100%. On 16 October, 2006, I also received a letter from my colleague, the Minister for Transport, in support of this application. In order that the matter could be examined, my Department requested the Council to submit further details including income from development contributions and projected expenditure on the scheme. A reply has recently been received from the Council and the matter is currently being examined in my Department.