Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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633. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a request for funding for the design of a new replacement bridge at a location (details supplied) in County Donegal has been received from the roads central services; if so, when a decision in respect of same is expected to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6982/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority 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 also a matter for the local authority.

My Department has not received an application from Donegal County Council for funding for the design of new replacement bridge at Logues Bridge, Glenfin Road, Ballybofey, Co Donegal.

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.

Given the current spending constraints it is the Department's policy when grant applications are received from local authorities for bridge improvement works to prioritise rehabilitation works over widening projects and proposed new bridges.