John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

178. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport whether his Department can provide emergency funding to local authorities for road-safety measures to create road-safety infrastructure where dangerous situations exist for pedestrians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14885/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 these roads are funded from Councils’ own resources and 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 Works Grant Programme. Applications are sought each year from eligible local authorities under this programme for consideration for funding in the subsequent year. In this context funding can be sought for traffic calming measures and other safety improvement works. The schemes for inclusion in the application are decided by the local authorities.

This year, funding of €13 million has been allocated under the Safety Improvement Works Grant Programme to regional and local roads for 339 schemes across the State. This is an increase of 22.8% on the 2024 allocation. A further €12.3 million of the Specific Improvement Grant Programme was allocated to road improvement schemes related to road safety.

Investment in Active Travel infrastructure, including footpaths, has increased significantly in recent years, with around €290 million allocated to the National Transport Authority (NTA) for such projects this year alone. While the majority of this funding is dedicated to the development and construction of new walking and cycling Active Travel infrastructure, just under €40 million is earmarked this year for protection and renewal of existing Active Travel footpaths and cycle lanes. The 2025 allocations to each local authority can be found on the NTA website.