Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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79. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether the local and regional roads funding allocation for County Louth of €5.1 million, representing an increase on the previous year of €384,000 is adequate, in view of the serious deterioration in roads throughout the county over the past number of years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6099/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in County Louth is the statutory responsibility of Louth County Council, 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 included a modest increase on the initial 2016 allocations to local authorities. It should be noted that the main grant programmes funded by my Department (Restoration Improvement, Restoration Maintenance and Discretionary Grant) are allocated on a "per kilometre" basis thus ensuring a fair and equitable approach for determining allocations to local authorities. The priority in 2017 continues to be the maintenance of our existing road network. I am not in a position to provide as much funding to local authorities as I would wish, as my Department has to work within the budgets available to it.

I have been emphasising to local authorities the importance of prioritising expenditure on roads when allocating own resources, including revenue from Local Property Tax receipts.