Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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342. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the allocation of funding from his Department to local authorities specifically for roads over the past three years to date in 2017, by amount granted to each local authority; the purpose of the funding such as construction, road maintenance and so on, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44919/17]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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343. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the allocation of funding from his Department to local authorities specifically for roads, by amount granted to each local authority; the purpose of the funding such as construction, road maintenance and so on, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44921/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 342 and 343 together.

Details of the regional and local road grant payments to local authorities are outlined in the regional and local road grant payment booklets which are available in the Dáil Library.  Details of the 2017 regional and local road grant allocations to each local authority are also available in the Dáil library.

The tables included in the payment and allocation booklets outline expenditure by type of grant programme.  For the Deputy's information an explanation of the purpose of the main Regional and Local Road Grant Programmes is set out below:

Restoration Maintenance (RM): The purpose of the RM grant is to protect the structural integrity of the road by way of surface dressing through the sealing of the road surface.  The purpose of restoration maintenance is to maintain the asset before it requires improvement.

Restoration Improvement Grant (RI):The RI grant programme is the main road strengthening programme and caters for surface restoration, pavement overlay works, complete road rehabilitation works and for drainage works where required.

Discretionary Grant (DG): Councils have discretion in spending these grants for improvement and maintenance works subject to selecting from a list of eligible works. However Councils are requested to prioritise projects which involve strengthening works, remedying road defects, winter maintenance and drainage works.

Bridge Rehabilitation (BR): This programme allows local authorities to apply for monies to undertake bridge rehabilitation works.

Safety Improvement Works (BS): This programme allows local authorities to apply for monies to undertake safety improvement works.

Training Grant (TG): The Training Grant assists in the provision of training of persons engaged in maintenance and improvement of regional and local roads. 

Specific Grant and Strategic Grants:The Department no longer seeks annual applications from local authorities in respect of the Specific (road improvement schemes costing up to €5m.) and Strategic (improvement schemes costing over €5m.) grant programmes. Instead it considers projects on a case by case basis with a particular focus on:

- Major bridge rehabilitation works which are outside the scope of the normal bridge rehabilitation programme;

- Critical safety improvement works which are outside the scope of the normal safety improvement programme;

- Projects which would have a significant and quantifiable economic impact, particularly as regards employment and on industrial, tourism, agricultural, rural development and urban regeneration.

As regards national roads, within its annual budget, allocations to individual local authorities is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).  I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's Questions to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.