Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Transport the amount of funding approved to a local authority (details supplied) since May 2007 to date in 2009 which has not been drawn down; the projects to which this funding relates; the reason it was not drawn down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40779/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of projects to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.

Under section 82 of the Roads Act the Minister for Transport is empowered to pay grants to road authorities and under this power I allocate regional and local road grants to these authorities each year to supplement expenditure from their own resources. Draw down of the road grant allocations provided by my Department in relation to individual projects is a matter for each local authority.

I have set out the details regarding total regional and local road grant allocations and payments provided by my Department to Meath County Council from 2007 to 2009 in the table below.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for Transport when a decision will be made regarding the application for funding to finish the extension to the link road from Tallow school to the main road, Tallow, County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41004/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of projects to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.

In August my Department sought applications for consideration for funding under the Specific Improvement Grants scheme in 2010. Waterford County Council has included the Tallow Link Road among its applications for funding.

I will announce the 2010 road grant allocations early in the New Year.