Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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511. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of road projects that are being assessed by An Bord Pleanála by county, in tabular form; the date on which each project was referred to An Bord Pleanála; his views on whether there are unreasonable delays in assessing road applications; and if he has had discussions with the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government on the issue. [2784/18]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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512. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of road projects that have been refused by An Bord Pleanála since 2011 by county, in tabular form; the moneys spent on each project up to the time of refusal; the status of each project as of 15 January 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2785/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 511 and 512 together.

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants.  The implementation of individual projects, including the submission of project applications to An Bord Pleanála, is, therefore, a matter for the relevant local authority.

As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  The planning, design and implementation of individual national road projects  is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

My Department does not, therefore, hold the information requested by the Deputy. As regards regional and local road projects which are in receipt of grant support from my Department under the Capital Plan,  I can say that there are no non-national project applications under consideration by An Bord Pleanála at present.  

As regards the current position in relation to national road projects, I have referred the Deputy’s question to TII for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.

While responsibility for planning policy lies with the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government,  concerns in relation to delays in the consideration of applications in relation to road projects have not been brought to my attention.  More generally, the Deputy may wish to address questions in relation to the operations of An Bord Pleanála to that Minister.