Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the Public Spending Code and the necessary statutory approvals.

The capital budget for national roads is used by TII for:

• New Roads - the development and construction of major new roads projects as outlined in the NDP.
• Protection and Renewal - this includes pavement renewal, safety projects and interventions, signing and lining, and minor projects, along with funding for staff in the local authorities and National Roads Offices (NRO).

A separate (current) allocation is provided to local authorities to fund ordinary maintenance on the national road network, which includes winter maintenance, salt purchases, route lighting and ongoing maintenance contracts.

In relation to the average spending on national road construction or maintenance in each of the past ten years, details of the national road grant allocations and payments to local authorities are outlined in the TII allocations and Annual Reports respectively, which are available on the TII website. The TII Annual Reports are also available in the Oireachtas Library.

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. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is a matter for the local authority.

As regards the average spending on road construction or maintenance in each of the past ten years, details of the regional and local road grant allocations and payments to local authorities are outlined in the regional and local road allocations and payments booklets which 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 as follows:

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 does not seek annual applications from local authorities in respect of the Specific and Strategic grant programmes. Instead it considers road improvement projects on a case by case basis taking into account the availability of funding and the outcome of project appraisals.