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 local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is a matter for each local authority.

Each year the regional and local road network suffers deterioration due to severe weather and climate effects. Damage can be caused by excessive rainfall, fluctuating temperatures, erosion of embankments and retaining structures due to tidal and river flow and severe weather events. In some instances the damage can be significant, resulting in the infrastructure becoming impassable until it can be repaired and re-opened. This can impact on strategic ‘lifeline’ roads serving hospitals, schools and population centres with very few or no alternative routes. The frequency with which these roads and bridges are impacted is increasing.

With a view addressing this issue in a more systematic way, the Department together with the Climate Adaptation Regional Offices (CARO) has developed systems to allow local authorities identify and apply for funding for locations most susceptible to climate change. This facilitates targeted funding to these vulnerable areas.

In 2021, the Department introduced a climate change adaptation and resilience grant programme. This year €16.2 million was allocated to this grant category to help restore and future proof our regional and local road network.

The 2024 regional and local road grant allocations will be finalised following the publication of the Revised Estimates Volume and will take into account the expenditure outturn on projects and programmes in the preceding year. Within the budget available, the objective is to allocate funding to eligible local authorities on as equitable a basis as possible taking the length of the road network into account. The main focus of the grants continues to be the protection and renewal of the regional and local road network.