Written answers
Tuesday, 26 April 2022
Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Departmental Funding
Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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392. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding (details supplied) that has been allocated has been drawndown and spent; if there has been a follow up or appraisal on the funding given under the various programmes or headings; if any of the allocated funding has been recouped or unspent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20405/22]
Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Deputy, please find below, details of funding allocated, drawn down and spent, to Mayo County Council for the period from 1st January to date. Also included are details of the various programmes and any unspent allocations. The first table, below sets out allocations for Greenways. The second table sets out allocations for roads.
Department | Year | Amount Allocated € | Drawdown Amount € | Follow-Up/Appraisal doneY/N | Recouped/Unspent € |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenways | 2017 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a |
| Greenways | 2018 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a |
| Greenways | 2019 | 3.2m(1) | 0 | n/a | n/a |
| Greenways | 2020 | 5.5m(2) | 0.348m | n/a | Money to be spent over the period of the project |
| Greenways | 2020 | 0.095m(3) | 0 | n/a | Money to be spent over the period of the project |
| Greenways | 2021 | 0 | O (€0.546m post transfer of project to TII) | n/a | As above |
*GREENWAY FOOTNOTES:
1. 3.2m was initially granted following the 2018 funding round.
2. Additional funding was granted for all projects under funding round of 2018 to bringing the totalallocation for that project to 5.5m, so an additional2.3m was allocated to the project funded in 2019.
3. A small amount of funding was granted to 26 projects across the country to assist with the initial phases of greenway projects. This funding came following monies allocated to Greenways from the Carbon Tax fund.
Regional and Local Roads
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads 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 Councils' own resources supplemented by State road grants, where applicable. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
Details of the funding allocated to Mayo County Council for the period 2017-2021 are set out in the table below. Full details of the regional and local road grant allocations and payments to local authorities are outlined in the regional and local road grant booklets which are available in the Oireachtas Library.
| Division | Year | Initial Allocation € | Additional Allocations € | Drawdown Amount € |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regional & Local Roads Division | 2017 | €20,417,862 | €20,420,876 | |
| Regional & Local Roads Division | 2018 | €24,032,000 | €375,000(Severe Weather Special Maintenance Grant) | €24,368,820 |
| Regional & Local Roads Division | 2019 | €27,256,822 | €381,562(Severe Weather Grant) | €27,446,996 |
| Regional & Local Roads Division | 2020 | €30,775,203 | €3,277,980(Cycle signs, Active Travel and Climate Change) | €32,779,932 |
| Regional & Local Roads Division | 2021 | €33,525,916 | €1,530,745(Climate Change Adaptation & Resilience Works and Specific Improvement Grant) | €34,411,102 |
The Regional and Local Roads (RLR) Division is responsible for the allocation and oversight of Exchequer grants for regional and local roads. The Division’s Engineering Inspectors are assigned responsibility for monitoring specific local authorities which receive funding under the RLR grant programmes. Duties include the examination of road pavement improvement and maintenance works programmes and the examination of applications from local authorities in respect of certain grant programmes. Approved projects are monitored by the Inspectors throughout each year.
As regards road improvement projects, any projects proposed by local authorities for consideration under the Specific or Strategic Grant Programmes must comply with the requirements of the DPER Public Spending Code and the Department of Transport Capital Appraisal Framework.
In addition, on-site inspections to review progress regarding implementation of approved programmes as well as financial checks are carried out throughout each year.
A desk check of expenditure claimed by Mayo County Council under various Regional & Local Roads State Grants was undertaken for monies claimed in the period December 2017 – June 2018. This desk check identified expenditure deemed ineligible under the terms of the Memorandum on Grants for Regional & Local Roads and an amount of €25,012.88 was recouped by the Department.
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