Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

143. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of progress on the Limerick northern distributor road; when a contract for the first phase will be signed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41337/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of the relevant local authority in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. State grants, where applicable, are intended to supplement the funding allocated to the maintenance and improvement of roads by local authorities from their own resources.

The National Development Plan (NDP) does provide for the gradual build up in funding for the road network but funding is not yet at the level needed for the adequate maintenance and renewal of regional and local roads.  For this reason the primary focus for capital investment continues to be the maintenance and renewal of the network with some limited investment in road improvement schemes.

Under the National Development Plan there is no Exchequer regional and local road grant funding in place to progress the Limerick Northern Distributor Road through the planning process to construction stage.