Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 78: To ask the Minister for Transport if discussions are taking place as proposed in the special group on public service numbers and expenditure programmes regarding a merger between the National Roads Authority and the Road Safety Authority; if he will give a briefing on the new role of the National Roads Authority regarding the non-national and secondary roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45894/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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There is no proposal in the report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes regarding the merger of the National Roads Authority and the Road Safety Authority.

The position from 1st September last, the NRA began undertaking certain functions regarding regional and local road grants. This is being done on foot of an agreement negotiated by officials of my Department and the NRA and approved by me and the Board of the Authority. A copy of the agreement between the Authority and my Department is available in the Dáil Library. The role of the Authority is set out in that agreement.

The new arrangement was concluded on an administrative basis so as not to affect my statutory role or that of the local authorities in any way.

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads remains the statutory responsibility of road authorities under section 13 of the Roads Act 1993, and is not affected by the new administrative arrangements. The NRA is not being given any new statutory powers similar to those it has in relation to national roads.

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. This power is also unaffected by the revised administrative arrangements and I will continue to decide on grants policy and on the grant allocations to each individual road authority.

This decision was taken on grounds of administrative efficiency, particularly in circumstances where there is increasing pressure on staffing and financial resources. It makes sense to use one organisation to administer all road grant payments and to monitor the expenditure of these road grants.

The NRA already had very effective systems in place to administer the national road improvement and maintenance programme and it was therefore concluded that the most logical and efficient approach was to use that NRA expertise to administer regional and local road grants as well.

Because there is no change in my statutory power I will continue to be accountable to the Oireachtas as at present and will continue to reply to appropriate Parliamentary Questions on regional and local road grants.