Written answers

Tuesday, 6 November 2018

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Road Improvement Schemes

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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911. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he can accelerate the programme to replace, improve or upgrade motorways, roads and bridges deemed to be in need of improvement or replacement having regard in particular to current traffic volumes, the need to encourage development evenly throughout the country and to replace any infrastructure now incapable of meeting its original requirements in already highly developed areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45350/18]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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915. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which the upgrading of over trafficked sections of motorway such as the M50 continue to be a priority both from a health and safety point of view and meeting the needs of the travelling public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45354/18]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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917. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which plans are in hand to extend motorway services to other regions throughout the country with a view to ensuring that the availability of such transport is seen as an incentive for foreign direct investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45356/18]

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 911, 915 and 917 together.

The maintenance and improvement of regional/local roads and bridges are 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 once 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 total length of the regional and local road network within the area of responsibility of the relevant local authority. 

As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the improvement, maintenance and operation of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.  

Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for a more detailed and direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.

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