Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 544: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will provide the necessary finance to reopen the roadways at Grange, Knockaderragh, Rathcahill East and Glenagown in the Newcastle West electoral area of County Limerick which are impassible following severe storm damage on the night of 31 July and 1 August 2008. [48033/08]

John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 549: To ask the Minister for Transport if, following unprecedented flooding in the Newcastle West electoral area of County Limerick, he will respond favourably to a request from Limerick County Council for funding to carry out the necessary repair works to infrastructure in the area that was severely damaged, particularly in the case of sections of road that have been closed, causing inconvenience to communities in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1877/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 544 and 549 together.

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is a matter for local authorities to be funded from their own resources supplemented by State Grants. The initial selection of projects or works to be funded under the various grant categories is also a matter for local authorities.

The funds made available to local authorities for improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads are intended to cover contingencies arising from severe weather conditions. The 'Memorandum on Grants for Non-National Roads' provides that the cost of remedial works necessitated by such conditions must be met from these resources and that local authorities should set aside contingency sums to finance these works. My Department is also prepared to consider sympathetically any request from a local authority to adjust its multi-annual restoration programme in order to prioritise work on regional and local roads necessitated by severe weather conditions.