Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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120. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport regarding the development of a quarry at a site (details supplied), the measures being taken to ameliorate the deterioration of side roads caused by heavy quarry traffic; and when repairs will be conducted. [36025/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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In accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993, each local authority has statutory responsibility for the improvement and maintenance of their regional and local roads. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources and are supplemented by State Road grants. Of these grants, the vast majority (approximately 90%) are targeted at the maintenance and renewal of the network with c. 10% of the remaining funding invested in new roads/bridges or for road realignments.

On 15th February I announced an Exchequer investment of €658 million in our regional and local roads across the State which represents an increase of €32 million over the 2023 allocations, with each local authority receiving an increase in funding for their Restoration Improvement grant. On 31st May 2024, I announced additional funding of €30 million to local authorities through Restoration Improvement (RI) Grants following persistent rainfall over winter and spring.

The Department's grant funding for the maintenance of regional and local roads is allocated to local authorities on a pro-rata basis, determined mainly by the length of the regional and local road network in a local authority functional area.

It should be noted that Exchequer funding for regional and local roads is intended to supplement realistic contributions from local authorities’ own resources. As the statutory road authorities for their area, it is open to local authorities to prioritise investment on regional and local roads.