Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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Question 476: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason specific road grants cannot be notified to local authorities in January, in order that councils may properly plan their road works programme. [19637/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The role of the Department in relation to local and regional roads is to provide grants to supplement road expenditure by local authorities. Regional and local road (RLR) grants are often announced in January but in any event are normally advised to local authorities no later than mid-February. The latter timeline applied in 2010 when some extra time was needed to determine how best to structure the grants in response to the severe winter weather. Notwithstanding a further severe winter in 2011 the RLR grants for that year were announced on 1 February. In order to enable local authorities to commence work on their road programmes as soon as possible, they may incur expenditure of up to 10% of the previous year's allocation in respect of the Discretionary, Block and Restoration Improvement Grant categories, pending the allocation of the current year's grants. In special circumstances, flexibility may also be provided to local authorities in relation to spending of a higher percentage of monies in advance of grant allocations.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 477: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is satisfied that in the event of Wexford County Council and the National Roads Authority selecting a route for the construction of this roadway, that the decision is in line with Article 43 of the Constitution, in view of the fact that there is a letter in writing signed by the NRA confirming that no money is available now and that it does not know when in the future it can pay for the lands and properties being acquired, as when the route is selected all property along the route will be frozen for development in the future, as Article 43 protects the rights of individuals through the concept of social justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19639/11]

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.

However, in the context of the current Capital Spending Review, it is clear that there will be little scope to advance in the short to medium term many of the infrastructural projects currently in planning. Many of these projects have reached route selection phase. I am aware that this creates difficulty for many landowners along selected routes due to so-called 'planning blight'. However, I am reluctant to cancel such projects given that there are projects designed for their long-term benefit to the state, and it will be important to be able to proceed with them rapidly when the State's finances return to equilibrium.

I am currently considering what remedies may be possible in order to ensure that land-owners whose property is along a selected route, but where that project is unlikely to proceed during the course of the next National Development Plan, are not unduly impacted by planning restrictions. I would welcome the views of the Deputy and any stakeholders on this subject.