Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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596. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has reviewed dangerous bridges or other accident black spots in order to prioritise and to set specific targets over the lifetime of the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16010/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, including the assessment of safety issues, is a statutory function of road authorities 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 is a matter for the local authority.

My Department initiated a regional road bridge inspection programme in 2011 to assess the condition of bridges on the network and this has been followed up with a Bridge Rehabilitation Grant programme.  Under the Bridge Rehabilitation Grant scheme local authorities submit a list of bridges in order of priority for consideration for funding.

As regards measures to address safety hazards, my Department operates a Safety Improvement Grant Programme which operates on a similar basis to the Bridge Rehabilitation Scheme with local authorities submitting a list of schemes in order of priority for consideration for funding.

Within the constraints of the overall roads budget, allocations are made to local authorities for both schemes each year.

As regards bridges and safety schemes on national roads, these are managed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in conjunction with the relevant local authority. Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for TII in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 days.