Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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370. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if additional funding will be allocated to Cavan and Monaghan county councils for road improvements in view of the substantial damage to roads caused by recent storms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14780/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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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.

As indicated previously to the Deputy, 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.  It is for each Council to determine its priorities and decide its work programme on that basis, taking available grant funding and its own resources into account.  There is no additional funding available to my Department.

I am aware that my colleague the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government has written to local authorities indicating that claims can be submitted to that Department for recoupment of costs associated with clean-up works and necessary immediate works which were undertaken in the aftermath of the recent severe weather.