Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 676: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason he has reduced the capital allocation for non-national roads to Kildare County Council in 2007 having particular regard to his recent reply to parliamentary questions on the issue and the necessity for an upgrade of the network of non-national roads throughout the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13016/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The provision, improvement and maintenance of non-national roads is a matter for local authorities to be funded from their own resources supplemented by State grants provided by my Department.

In 2007, the grant allocation by my Department to Kildare County Council for the improvement and maintenance of non-national roads is €23,685,337. This is over three and a half times the funding provided when this Government came into office in 1997 and seven and a half times the 1994 State grant provision. The 2007 allocation also represents an increase of 3% on the 2006 grant payment to the Council.

When comparing the 2007 allocation to previous years, account must be taken of the special once off payments made to Kildare County Council from 2004 to 2006 to facilitate the staging of the Ryder Cup in 2006. If these grants are discounted, the 2007 allocation represents a 16% increase on the 2006 grant payment to the Council.

I am satisfied that this significant level of State funding, supplemented by Kildare County Council's own resources, provides appropriately for the Council's ongoing non-national road requirements in 2007.