asked the Minister for the Environment if he accepts that children walking on the national primary road N18 to Kiltiernan national school, County Galway, are at high risk as a result of having to walk on the main carriageway because of the absence of hard shoulders; and the action he proposes to take to alleviate this danger.
Written Answers. - County Galway Road.
505.
The point raised by the Deputy is primarily a matter for the road authority, Galway County Council. On 21 January 1985, a road grant of £5.2 million was allocated to Galway County Council for 1985, which represents an increase of 20 per cent relative to grant payments made to the road authority last year. The grant commitments notified to the authority this year include £100,000 to finance the authority's ongoing programme for the provision of hard shoulders on national primary routes. This grant was assigned to the N6 route, following consultations with the authority.
Under the conditions governing the payment of road grants, which are set out in a memorandum circulated to road authorities on 21 January, it is open to an authority to apply to my Department for approval to transfer a grant for specified improvement works to other such works. No such application has been received from Galway County Council in Relation to the provision of hard shoulders in the vicinity of the school referred to by the Deputy.