Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will reply as per a commitment given to the Houses of the Oireachtas by his predecessor to the effect that Oireachtas Members would continue to receive replies to parliamentary questions whether specific commencement notice has issued to Kildare County Council or the National Roads Authority in respect of the road realignment at Carbury, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19661/10]

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 relevant local authority. With regard to answering Parliamentary Questions, I assume the Deputy is referring to the agreement between my Department and the National Roads Authority. From 1st September 2009, the National Roads Authority was tasked with undertaking the administration of the regional and local road grants on behalf of my Department. This was 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.

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 NRA is not being given any new statutory powers similar to those it has in relation to national roads.

As a consequence, I indicated at that time, that because there is no change in my statutory role I would continue to reply to Parliamentary Questions on regional and local road grants.

On 22 April 2010, my Department wrote to Kildare County Council conveying approval to serve all outstanding "notices to treat" in respect of the R402 Edenderry to Enfield Road Improvement Scheme. Progression of this project is a matter for Kildare County Council.