Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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499. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if additional funding will be provided to Cavan County Council in respect of the road works programme 2018 in view of the widespread damage caused to roads by the recent storms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11555/18]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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500. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if additional funding will be provided to Monaghan County Council in respect of the road works programme 2018 in view of the widespread damage caused to roads by the recent storms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11556/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 499 and 500 together.

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local are the statutory responsibilities of Monaghan and Cavan County Councils, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the Council'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.

I announced the 2018 regional and local road allocations on 29th January and all grant funding available to my Department has now been allocated. Cavan County Council was allocated €10.7million, an increase of €1.6million compared to the 2017 allocation, and Monaghan County Council was allocated €9.1million, and increase of €1.5million, compared to the 2017 allocation.  As it is close to the start of the year each Council will determine its priorities and adjust its work programme on that basis, taking available grant funding and its own resources into account. 

As regards additional resources, I will be liaising with my Government colleagues to see what measures might be considered.