Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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Question 470: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if it is appropriate that Clare County Council has implemented a full road closure on the N68 Ennis to Kilrush road to facilitate resurfacing work for the full month of July for the second year in a row in view of the fact that this is the main road to Kilkee, Kilrush and Loop Head for Ennis and Limerick; this closure alone will impact on tourist locations during this peak period but will also impact on emergency service response times. [19628/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter 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 to the NRA for direct reply. I ask the Deputy to please advise my private office if he does not receive a reply within 10 working days.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 471: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the intra-urban road link Objective T2.12 linking the junction of Burton Street/Pearse Road to the junction of Mail Coach Road/Connolly Street, as contained in the Sligo and Environs Development Plan, has yet to be implemented; if he has received any submissions from Sligo Borough Council seeking funding to purchase the strip of land still in private ownership which the borough council requires to enable the link road to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19950/11]

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.

My Department has no record of an application for funding for this intra-urban link road from Barton Street/Pearse Road to Mail Coach Road/Connolly Street. Nor was this project included among the Council's applications submitted to the National Roads Authority late last year for funding in 2011 under the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme. It is open to Sligo County Council to prioritise this project and to submit it for funding in 2012 when applications are sought later in the year, alternatively the council may progress this project through its discretionary grants or through its own resources.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 472: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the suspension bridge at Portmagee connecting Valentia Island, County Kerry will be repaired to full working order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19513/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, including bridges, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. The carrying out of works on these roads and bridges is 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 council.

A total of €439,676,000 is being provided to local authorities for regional and local roads in 2011. This includes the additional €60 million provided by the government in May this year under the jobs initiative. From this allocation, Kerry County Council is being provided with a total of €19,071,422.

In July last year, local authorities were invited to submit proposals for funding in 2011 under the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme. Kerry County Council submitted 10 applications for funding in 2011. However, Valentia Bridge was not among the Council's proposals. It is open to Kerry County Council to prioritise the Valentia Bridge scheme for funding and to submit this project for funding under the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme in 2012 when applications are sought in due course. Alternatively, the local authority may fund this project through its own resources.

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 473: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ensure that funding is put in place for the bypass of Carrick-on Shannon, County Leitrim, and the N61 bypass of Boyle, County Roscommon which are long outstanding and very necessary infrastructural requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19545/11]

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 road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for the NRA in accordance with section 19 of the Roads Act. Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NRA for direct reply. Will the Deputy please advise my private office if he does not receive a reply within 10 working days.