Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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715. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will allocate funding to Kilkenny County Council under the specific improvement grant scheme or the non-national strategic improvement grant scheme for the R704 Listerlin road widening scheme (details supplied); his views on the fact that the project cannot be funded via the low cost safety improvement grant scheme due to the estimated cost of works of €80,000 which would represent 35% of the annual low cost safety scheme allocation and is therefore considered too high to come under same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4072/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​As you know the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, such as the R704 Listern road widening scheme, is the statutory responsibility of Kilkenny County Council, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the Council's own resources supplemented by State road grants.

  Applications for funding under the low cost safety improvment scheme in 2017 were invited in September 2016. Councils were made aware of the conditions in relation to applications for funding and were advised that preference would be given to proposals in the cost range €2,000 to €30,000 and that proposals in higher cost ranges, (i.e. €30,000 to €250,000) may be considered if the benefit to cost ratio is promising.  Kilkenny applied for funding for 10 schemes to the sum of €287,000.  The Council were notified of approval of funding for 7 of these projects to the sum of €249,000 on the 24th January. The R704 Listerlin road widening scheme however, was not among the applications submitted for funding to the Department. It is up to individual local authorities to submit applications in order of priority.

It is open to Councils to fund road improvement projects from their own resources.  The purpose of Exchequer funding is to supplement the own resources of local authorities. 

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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716. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will meet with this Deputy to discuss roads funding in Cavan and Monaghan, particularly relating to the dangerous condition at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4073/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​While I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme, the construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads (including the junction of the N3 and the L7031 at Murmod Cross, Virginia, Co. Cavan), is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

  Noting this 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.

As regards the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in Counties Cavan and Monaghan, this is the statutory responsibility of the relevant local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the 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.

On 24 January, I announced the 2017 regional and local road allocations to all local authorities, which represents an increase of about 9% this year. The priority in 2017 continues to be the maintenance of our existing road network.  My Department has to work within the budgets available to it in the Capital Plan and all grant funding for 2017 has now been allocated.

I am happy to meet with any Deputy to hear his or her concerns.  Please contact my private office if you wish to arrange such a meeting.