Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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294. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if work is under way within Irish Rail to provide a design to facilitate progression of the Athenry relief road project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11013/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Any new road projects that seek State funding are assessed by the Department on a case-by-case basis. All projects proposed by local authorities for consideration must comply with the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines (formerly the Public Spending Code) and the Department's Transport Appraisal Framework. Given the limited funding available for regional and local road improvement works it is important for local authorities to prioritise projects within their overall area of responsibility with these requirements in mind.

The Department has provided funding for the proposed middle section of the Athenry Relief Road to link up the two sections which have been constructed already. The implementation of this project is the responsibility of Galway County Council.

Under the Infrastructure Guidelines and the Department's Transport Appraisal Framework, capital projects are subject to review and approval at a number of stages. In this context, my Department recently gave approval for this project to proceed to tender for the main construction contract for the Western section of the Athenry Relief Road project. This process is currently underway.

Furthermore, the Department has provided funding to Irish Rail via Galway County Council under the strategic regional and local road grant programme to undertake additional surveys and the preliminary design of the bridge works required to complete the final section of the relief road. This work is still being progressed by Irish Rail.