Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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269. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he and his Department have identified a priority list of road and bridge projects likely to be required over the next ten years; his plans to fund and activate such plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6382/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Transport investment priorities to 2022 are set out in the Capital Plan and were framed by the conclusions reached in my Department’s Strategic Investment Framework for Land Transport. Based on the findings in that report it is envisaged that maintenance and renewal of the road network will continue to be the main priority over the next period and the bulk of the roads capital budget, approximately €4.4 billion, is earmarked for such essential work with a further €600 million allocated for implementation of the PPP road programme which is already underway. The balance will fund the limited number of road upgrade projects listed in the Plan.

As regards the possibility of additional funding within the Plan period, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is now commencing the Capital Plan review. While there is a strong case for additional funding for the transport sector, the parameters for the review and the final decisions on allocations are matters for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and Government as a whole. As the Deputy is aware there are a multitude of possible national, regional and local road projects around the country, the cost of which far exceed available funding.

As regards bridges specifically, my Department did initiate a regional road bridge inspection programme a number of years ago 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. The allocations and payments for each local authority is available in the regional and local road allocation and payment booklets in the Dáil library.