Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 636: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a road project (details supplied) in County Mayo; and the amount spent on a road project (details further supplied) in County Mayo. [31203/11]

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 under these grants is also a matter for the local authority.

I understand that Mayo County Council wrote to the National Roads Authority seeking additional funding for the Bridge at Turlough, Co. Mayo, however all of the 2011 regional and local road grants have now been fully allocated and there are no further funds available from which an additional allocation could be made. It is however open to the council to include this project among its applications for consideration for funding under the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme in 2012.

In relation to the traffic calming measures at Ballyvary Co. Mayo, 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 is a statutory 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. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.