Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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553. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide funding to local authorities specifically for local improvement schemes in view of the fact that the current level of roads funding is not adequate to allow local authorities to allocate funding for local improvement schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23059/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of the local authority, 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.

Maintenance of private laneways/roads not taken in charge by local authorities is the responsibility of the landowners concerned. Due to the major cutbacks in roads funding it was necessary for my Department to cease making separate allocations to local authorities in respect of  the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS). The approved scheme remains intact and local authorities can use a proportion of State grant funding for LIS should they wish to do so.

While there is a modest increase in funding for roads this year, it will take some years yet under the Capital Plan to restore "steady state" funding levels for regional and local roads. The primary focus has to continue to be on the maintenance and renewal of public roads. Local authorities can continue to use a proportion of their Discretionary Grant for the Local Improvement Scheme in 2017.

In light of the provision in the Programme for Government indicating that, as the economy recovers, the Government will promote increased funding for Community Involvement and Local Improvement Schemes, I will review the scope for making a separate grant allocation once the planned Review of the Capital Plan is completed.