Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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271.To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department is aware of the terrible condition of the Currynanerriagh bridge, on the R250 between Glenties and Fintown in County Donegal, a bridge that has been severely neglected in terms of maintenance, and, tragically, has been the site of several accidents, resulting in the loss of six lives; if his Department has any plans to sign off on the €600,000 needed to bring the road up to an appropriate standard or if his Department has any plans to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33248/24]

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

My Department provides grant assistance to local authorities under the Regional and Local Road Grant Programme for a number of targeted programmes, including the Safety Improvement Programme and the Bridge Rehabilitation Programme. Applications are sought each year from local authorities under these programmes for consideration for funding in the subsequent year. It is a matter for Donegal County Council to submit such an application for consideration of funding.

As Donegal County Council is responsible for maintaining and improving its regional and local roads, it is the Council's responsibility to determine its priorities and work programme while taking account of the funding provided from grant allocations and from the Council's own resources.

According to my Department's records, an application has not been received from Donegal County Council with reference to the widening of Currynanerriagh bridge, on the Glenties side of Fintown on the R250.