Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he plans to continue the local improvement scheme; if existing schemes will continue to be supported in the event of its withdrawal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21448/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Local Improvements Scheme provides funding for non-public roads and while I am aware of the importance of this scheme to rural communities and the role it plays in assisting local development projects on non-public accommodation roads, the maintenance and improvement of these roads is in the first instance a matter for the relevant landowner.

The Government is undertaking a review of capital expenditure for the period 2012 to 2016. When my Department's capital provision for these years is known and the internal allocations within my Department are decided, I will then be in a position to decide what schemes will continue to receive support from the limited funds available to me at that time

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the grants that were provided, on a county basis, for maintenance and upgrade to the non-national road network in 2010; the additional grants that were made following the harsh winter conditions of 2010; if he is in dialogue with the Department of Transport about the balance between funding national primary and secondary and regional and county roads, if so, the outcome of the dialogue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21649/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Ministerial powers and functions in relation to regional and local roads were transferred to my Department from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in January 2008, however, 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 supplemented by State road grants from my Department. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.

Following the severe weather in late 2009 and early 2010, local authorities were requested to provide details of exceptional road related costs associated with the prolonged severe weather, which fell outside the normal financial provision for winter maintenance.

The Department took account of the information received when deciding on allocations for 2010. The priority was to protect the massive investment of €6 billion in the regional and local roads network since 1997.

Local authorities were permitted to defer their planned rehabilitation works on regional and local roads in 2010 to allow greater flexibility to deal with the urgent repair of damage to the regional and local road network arising from the prolonged severely cold weather. A total of almost €411 million was provided to local authorities for works on regional and local roads in 2010.

The breakdown of regional and local road grants paid to each local authority in 2010 is outlined in the table.