Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 5

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

John McGuinness

Question:

340 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if regional traffic management grants are available directly to individual local authorities; and if so, if Kilkenny County Council or Kilkenny Corporation have applied for a grant under the scheme. [5793/02]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey):

The regional traffic management scheme which commenced in 2000 is intended to assist urban traffic management schemes provided by the city councils of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. To date grants of over €5.3 million have been made available under the scheme. Accordingly, applications have not been sought from Kilkenny County Council or Kilkenny Borough Council for inclusion in this scheme. However, these and other local authorities can use the discretionary non-national road grants provided by my Department, together with own resources provision for non-national roads, for traffic management initiatives related to their respective areas.

Kilkenny County Council's non-national road grant allocation in 2002 is €10.521 million, which represents an increase of 92% on the 1997 provision. Included in this grant provision are discretionary grants of €1.469 million. Kilkenny Borough Council's non-national road grant allocation in 2002 is €505,000 which represents a 246% increase compared to 1997. Again, it is open to the borough council to use its block grant for traffic management purposes. I am satisfied that the significantly increased level of State funding provided in recent years, supplemented by local authorities own resources, is providing adequately for the ongoing maintenance and improvement needs of non-national roads in Kilkenny, county and city.