Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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486. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will seek an immediate EU derogation for Tipperary County Council to begin to realign a series of dangerous bends on the R-498 Nenagh-Thurles road at Latteragh, County Tipperary; the steps his Department has taken to address this dangerous situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47051/14]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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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. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.

Under Section 51 of the Roads Act 1993, a road authority is required to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in respect of a proposed road development which is not exempt from the Environmental Impact Assessment process and submit the EIS to an Bord Pleanála.

Where An Bord Plenála considers that a proposed road development is likely to have significant effects on the environment it can direct the road authority to prepare an EIS and if a road authority considers that any proposed road development is likely to have significant effects on the environment it has to inform An Bord Pleanála and the Board can direct it to undertake an EIS if it is of the same view. As Minister for Transport I do not have a role in this process.