Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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302. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason funding under the regional and local roads investment programme to Louth County Council has been reduced for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10975/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Funding for the national, regional and local road network has been reduced significantly across the board in recent years; in 2008 funding was €2.3 billion while funding this year is around €730 million.  Regional and local road allocations in 2015 have seen an overall reduction of 11% on the 2014 start of year figure (this 2014 figure included €50 million in one-off stimulus funding). Louth has not incurred a disproportionate reduction in regional and local road allocations. When allowance is made for the fact that €21.7 million of the reduction is due to certain local authorities becoming self-funding the net reduction in regional and local road grants is 5%.

When the one-off €50 million start of year stimulus boost in 2014 is excluded, the 2015 allocation to Louth, sees a 15% increase on the 2014 allocation across the three main grant categories (Restoration Maintenance, Restoration Improvement and Discretionary Grant). The 2015 regional and local road allocation to Louth was boosted by almost €200,000 in Specific Grants in respect of the R166 Station Road Drumleck-Castlebellingham and the R132 Bridge of Peace in Drogheda. These schemes also received funding totalling €300,000 in 2014. (Most counties did not receive any Specific Grant funding in 2014 or 2015 as this Grant was curtailed).