Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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137. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total amount of funding allocated for the maintenance of regional and local roads by local authority, since 27 June 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60288/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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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.

Arising from the arrangements in place in relation to Local Property Tax receipts, the four Dublin Councils are self-funding for regional and local roads under the main road grant categories. Accordingly, these Councils do not feature in most of the grant programmes but are eligible for certain grants such as the training and road condition survey grants and may apply for monies under the Strategic Grant programme.  In this context provision was made in the original NDP 2018-2027 for the upgrade of the Nangor and Adamstown roads in the vicinity of Grange Castle Business Park and the Department provided grant assistance for that strategic scheme.

As regards the funding that has been allocated to eligible local authorities for the maintenance of regional and local roads since 27 June 2020, regional and local road grant allocations and payments booklets are available in the Oireachtas Library.

The 2020 payments booklet reflects the Active Travel and Climate Change Adaptation measures allocations made as part of the July Jobs Stimulus Plan following the formation of the Government. Allocations booklets for 2021 and 2022 together with a payments booklet for 2021 are available in the Oireachtas Library.

The tables included in the allocations and payments booklets outline expenditure by type of grant programme. For the Deputy's information an explanation of the purpose of the main Regional and Local Road Grant Programmes is set out below:

Restoration Maintenance (RM): The purpose of the RM grant is to protect the structural integrity of the road by way of surface dressing through the sealing of the road surface.  The purpose of restoration maintenance is to maintain the asset before it requires improvement.

Restoration Improvement Grant (RI): The RI grant programme is the main road strengthening programme and caters for surface restoration, pavement overlay works, complete road rehabilitation works and for drainage works where required.

Discretionary Grant (DG): Councils have discretion in spending these grants for improvement and maintenance works subject to selecting from a list of eligible works. However Councils are requested to prioritise projects which involve strengthening works, remedying road defects, winter maintenance and drainage works.

Bridge Rehabilitation (BR):This programme allows local authorities to apply for monies to undertake bridge rehabilitation works.

Safety Improvement Works (BS): This programme allows local authorities to apply for monies to undertake safety improvement works.

Community Involvement Scheme (CIS):Facilitates community involvement in the repair and improvement of roads.

Drainage Programme (DR):The purpose of this grant is to promote network resilience.

Former National Roads (FN):The purpose of this grant is to provide assistance to local authorities specifically for the maintenance of former national roads.

Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience (CCAR): The purpose of this grant is to provide assistance to local authorities for road adaptation/resilience works which have become necessary due to the effects of climate change.

Specific Grant and Strategic Grants: The Department no longer seeks annual applications from local authorities in respect of road improvement projects under the Specific and Strategic grant programmes. Instead it considers projects on a case by case basis taking into account the availability of funding and the outcome of project appraisals.