Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

457. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current progress of the southern distributor road in Athy, County Kildare, that was previously earmarked as the next big road project in County Kildare. [43254/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 works to be funded is also a matter for the Council. My Department received an application from Kildare County Council in November 2008 for 100% funding of the Athy Southern Distributor Road. The estimated total cost of the project is in excess of €34 million. While a grant of €150,000 was allocated to the Council in 2011 to allow certain design and planning work on this project to be undertaken it was made clear by my Department that there was no funding commitment beyond that.

As I am sure the Deputy will appreciate, given the current financial circumstances, I am not in a position at present to give any commitment regarding the provision of further funding for the construction of this project. The limited amount of funding being allocated to development projects will focus on projects already under construction or to meet commitments already in place. I am aware of the importance of this road to Athy and to the south Leinster region. When the financial position improves I would like to be in a position to support the advancement of this type of project.