Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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11. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of his commitment to outline his pathway to address the issues highlighted in the National Oversight and Audit Commission's review of regional and local road networks here. [37870/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Following on from my undertaking earlier this year to report on a regular basis to the Houses of the Oireachtas regarding regional and local road maintenance issues, my Department has placed a copy of the first report in the Oireachtas library this week, to coincide with the Dáil resuming.

In it, I draw attention to a number of points.  Firstly, each local authority is the statutory road authority for its area and has primary responsibility for the maintenance and improvement of its roads.  Within available budgets and where applicable, my Department does provide grant support to road authorities while emphasising the importance of local authorities’ prioritising expenditure on roads when allocating their own resources.   

Secondly, my Department has been supporting the development of a Road Asset Management System for regional and local roads over the last number of years.  The Road Management Office, which has been established as a shared service between 31 local authorities, together with my Department, has been working with local authorities to ensure that this road pavement management system includes a record of all pavement-related works and information on road surfaces and pavement condition. It is this system which generates the data which is used by NOAC in its performance reports.

The objective of the MapRoad pavement management system and the NOAC reports is to provide the data needed for evidence-based prioritisation and management of road work programmes by each road authority.  Work is continuing to improve the system.

Thirdly, my Department’s Road Inspectorate has been strengthened significantly over the last year which means that there is now more extensive engagement with road authorities, enhancing oversight of the regional and local road investment programme.