Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 358: To ask the Minister for Transport his plans to instruct all local authorities to cease filling in potholes with tar and chips and alternatively to repair damaged roads with macadam type surfaces which are much more durable and which provide much better value for money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5287/11]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 361: To ask the Minister for Transport his plans to instruct local authorities to cease the traditional practice of surface dressing with tar and chips on roads that were never surfaced with a macadam surface and replace this with a practice of laying macadam surface first and over-laying this surface with tar and chips; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5290/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 361 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities own resources and are supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of projects to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.

Local authorities have been provided with a number of best practice documents and are required to follow the guidelines in these documents when carrying out grant aided works on regional and local roads. These best practice documents are available on the Department's website www.transport.ie.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 359: To ask the Minister for Transport if local authorities will be permitted to reprioritise the roads programme this year in view of the damage caused by the severe winter weather to enable work to be carried out on the roads that have suffered most damage this winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5288/11]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 360: To ask the Minister for Transport the criteria that has been laid down that minimum lengths of road have to be resurfaced out of face will be rescinded so that the roads that have suffered most damage in the recent bad weather can be repaired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5289/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 360 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities own resources and are supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of projects to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.

Local authorities have been provided with a number of best practice documents and are required to follow the guidelines in these documents when carrying out grant aided works on regional and local roads. These best practice documents are available on the Department's website www.transport.ie.

Question No. 361 answered with Question No. 358.