Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

42. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if additional funding will be allocated to local authorities for their road works programme in 2019 in view of the importance of the non-national road network particularly in rural counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37816/18]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

46. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a substantial increase in funding for the non-national road network in 2019 will be ensured in view of the need for additional investment in this network in areas such as counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37815/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 46 together.

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of local authorities, 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.

It is a matter for each Council to determine its priorities and decide its work programme taking available grant funding and its own resources into account. I always stress to Councils the importance of prioritising roads when allocating their own resources.

Grant allocations for 2019 will be decided after the 2019 Estimates process is concluded. Within the budget available to the Department, the approach taken is to allocate funding on as fair and equitable basis as possible. In this context, grants in the main grant categories are allocated based on the length of regional and local roads within a local authority area of responsibility.