Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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197. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the urgent need to upgrade the Hearse Road, Donabate to include road widening, cycle and pedestrian paths from the Lissenhall interchange to the start of the Donabate distributor road in view of the increase in vehicular traffic particularly in the mornings and evenings, which is also an objective of the Fingal development plan; if this much needed project will be funded in view of the fact Fingal County Council has stated it is not in a position to fund it, in further view of the fact this project will provide much needed employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19585/20]

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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198. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding for the upgrading of roads in Donabate, Portrane, Rush, Lusk, Ballyboughal will be provided in view of the population growth and little infrastructure to support same; if the funding will include provision for foot and cycle paths connecting the towns with the main roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19586/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 and 198 together.

In order to clarify the position, I can inform the Deputy that the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads (RLR) is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993.  Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' 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 also a matter for the relevant local authority in its capacity as the planning authority for its area to consider and adopt a Development Plan; I have no role in that process.  In these cases I understand the responsible local authority is Fingal County Council.  Arising from the introduction of the local property tax and the retention of same, Fingal County Council has become self-funding for roads.

In relation to active travel infrastructure, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA).  It funds local authorities on an ongoing basis in relation to active travel infrastructure and Fingal County Council has been the recipient of such funding in the past and I understand is also being funded this year for certain eligible projects as normal.

Separately, and in response to the COVID-19 Emergency, in late May the NTA wrote to all 31 local authorities to offer its financial and technical support and this support is being funded through my Department's sustainable mobility investment programme.  The approach taken was to engage with all local authorities to see what their requirements were and to grant aid in full various temporary intervention proposals, subject to those proposals being agreed with the NTA in advance of implementation.

Finally, under the July Stimulus, an additional €82 million has been announced to support pedestrians and cyclists in urban and rural Ireland in the coming months. The Stimulus programme will further support local authorities across the country as they respond to the needs of local communities and businesses in the months ahead. Funding under the Stimulus programme must be expended by year end.

It is open to the local authority to apply to the NTA under the above programmes in relation to improving eligible active travel infrastructure.