Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 22: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if any evaluation or study has been undertaken or is planned to be undertaken by him into establishing the appropriate level of minimum annual spending in order to ensure that the maintenance of all public roads does not fall below a basic standard throughout the country;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16914/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads network. 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. 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.

In the next few months, I am due to receive the Pavement Condition Study (in respect of regional roads) which is currently being finalised by the National Roads Authority on behalf of my Department. This report will provide a comprehensive overview of the current status of our regional roads network. This report will assist in targeting funding at the areas most in need of it.