Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 534: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of heavy goods vehicles that went through toll plazas on the national roads network in 2010; and the way that number compares with the previous two years. [11201/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads are matters for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with local authorities concerned.

In particular, the statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in the NRA under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007).

Noting this I have referred the Deputy's question to the NRA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if there is no reply within ten working days.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 535: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has received an application for a low cost safety improvement grant by Cork County Council for works at a location (details supplied). [11221/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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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 May last year, the National Roads Authority (NRA) invited applications from road authorities for funding in 2011 under the Low Cost Safety Improvement Works scheme of grants. Among the applications submitted by Cork County Council was a proposal for works at Rathmullig East, Farmers Cross. However this project was not one of the schemes selected for funding in 2011.

It is open to Cork County Council to continue to prioritise this project and to resubmit it to the NRA for funding under the 2012 Low Cost Safety Improvement Works when applications are sought later in the year. It is also open to the council to fund this project through use of its own resources.