Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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59. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to fund the construction of the remaining section of the Portlaoise orbital route. [14001/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in Laois is the statutory responsibility of Laois County Council, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the local authority's 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. The Portlaoise Southern Circular route is among the schemes included in the Capital Plan 2016-2021 subject to achieving the necessary project approvals (including approval from An Bord Pleanála for the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) and compliance with the requirements of this Department's Capital Appraisal Framework (CAF)). It is, therefore, the responsibility of Laois County Council to progress this scheme through the approval process and the timescale for the progression of the scheme to construction depends on when that process is completed.  My Department is currently liaising with the Council in respect of the CAF and an allocation of €1m has been provided to Laois County Council for this scheme in 2017.