Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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530. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the level of oversight by his Department on the way in which local authorities allocate funds received under the regional and local grant programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5379/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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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 initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.

The planning and implementation of individual projects within grant programmes is the responsibility of the relevant local authority.  Grants are subject to the terms and conditions set by the Department, including, where applicable, competitive tendering for design consultants, advance works and construction contracts.

The Department conducts spot checks on whether grants have been claimed in accordance with its terms and conditions and has also strengthened its road engineering inspectorate in recent months.