Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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597. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will liaise with Kildare County Council to identify dangerous and inadequate bridges in the county and to initiate a programme to upgrade, improve, realign or replace them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16011/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in Kildare (including bridges) is a statutory function of Kildare County Council in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993.  Works on such roads are a matter for the Council 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 Council.

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.  Within the constraints of the overall roads budget, allocations are made to local authorities for remedial bridge works.  Kildare County Council was allocated €203,000 for bridge rehabilitation works in 2016.

As regards bridges on national roads, these are managed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in conjunction with the relevant local authority.  I have 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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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598. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of his proposals to improve, realign or replace the bridge over the River Liffey at Celbridge, County Kildare, including if Kildare County Council has provided him with preliminary plans for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16012/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​As outlined previously to the Deputy, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads (including bridges) in Kildare is the statutory responsibility of Kildare County Council, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993-2015.

The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the Council. Assessment of options in relation to a new bridge at Celbridge is, therefore, a matter for consideration by Kildare County Council.

The Council has not submitted any proposals to my Department for a new bridge over the river Liffey in Celbridge.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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599. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the deficiencies he has identified in the national primary and secondary road network and in its ability to cater for current and future traffic volumes; his plans for places where he has identified an under-capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16013/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly known as the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

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.

Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to TII for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.