Written answers

Tuesday, 15 September 2020

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Road Network

Photo of Christopher O'SullivanChristopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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195. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funds from the active travel measures allocations and the climate change adaptation allocations 2020 can in County Cork be rolled over to 2021 to allow for council staff and engineers to deal with the recent damage from flood waters. [23470/20]

Photo of Christopher O'SullivanChristopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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196. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when funding will be allocated for the repair and rebuilding of the road network that was devastated during the recent west County Cork flooding events. [23474/20]

Photo of Christopher O'SullivanChristopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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215. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when funding will be allocated for the repair and rebuilding of the roads network that was devastated during the recent west County Cork flooding events. [23475/20]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 195, 196 and 215 together.

As the Deputy is aware, 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.

Following the Government announcement of the July Jobs Stimulus Plan eligible local authorities funded under the Department’s regional and local road maintenance and renewal grant programmes were invited to apply for funding under the Active Travel and Climate Change Adaptation measures allocations. Council's were requested to submit a prioritised list of clearly identified proposed schemes which could be completed in 2020.

Cork County Council submitted applications which amounted to over €5 million for Active Travel and €1.63 million for Climate Change Adaptation measures. On the 31st August the Council received notification that works to the same value of the submitted applications had been approved.

As the cut-off date for submitting applications to the Department was the 14th August some, but not all, of the recent damage to roads and bridges caused by severe weather in County Cork is provided for in the August allocation.  All stimulus funding available to my Department has now been allocated. As stimulus measures are projects which are designed to be delivered this year, it is not possible for allocations to roll over into 2021. 

My Department understands that Cork County Council will be seeking additional funding to assist with repair works and is in the process of finalising its submission to the Department. When the Department receives an estimate of the cost of the additional repair works, the Department  will liaise with the Council to see how a programme of repair works can be managed and funded.  As regards works which can be undertaken this year, it would be open to Cork County Council to revise its planned work programme to prioritise repairs caused by flooding. 

In relation to works which will run into 2021, my Department’s ability to provide specific funding for the repair and rehabilitation of roads in West Cork following the recent flood events is dependent on the funding made available for roads as part of the overall Estimates process.  I will be liaising with my Government colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on this. 

As regards national roads in West Cork, as Minister for Climate, Energy, Communications and Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and securing exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme.  Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. In this context, TII is best placed to advise you regarding the repair of national roads in West Cork.

Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's questions to TII for a direct reply. I ask him to advise my private office if he does not receive a reply within 10 working days.

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