Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 378: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent of funding estimated by the National Roads Authority and the local authorities as being required to keep the national, regional and local roads in a reasonable state of repair, following the previous two severe winters; the amount that will be provided by him; the amount available from their own resources; the way the shortfall will be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13597/11]

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 planning, design and implementation of individual national roads are matters for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question in relation to national roads to the NRA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days. As regards regional and local roads, the improvement and maintenance of those 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 February this year, a total of €375.176 million was allocated to local authorities for regional and local roads. Earlier this month, I made an additional allocation of €60 million to County Councils under the Restoration Improvement Programme bringing the total allocation under the Regional and Local Roads Investment Programme up to €435.176 million. In addition, local authorities estimate that they will spend €186.7 million of monies from own resources on roads in 2011.