Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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109. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if local authorities have been instructed to not proceed to tender on road projects, which have already been approved in the annual road grant notification, without prior approval of the TII; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26173/24]

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. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and maintenance of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the Public Spending Code and the necessary statutory approvals.

Under Section 17 of the Roads Act 1993, TII (the NRA at that time) was assigned overall responsibility for the planning and supervision of works for the construction or maintenance of national roads.

Approximately €411m in capital exchequer funding was allocated to local authorities through TII for the purposes of national roads in 2024. This includes funding for new roads projects, as well as for the protection and renewal of the existing network. The allocations announced by TII earlier this year are an indication of the progress that TII believes is possible on each national roads project during the year. However, if the progression of any national roads project, programme or operation is impeded or priorities change, the funding will be redistributed by TII, in accordance with its statutory remit, to other national roads or greenways projects, programmes, or operations. No funding has been withdrawn by my Department from TII this year.