asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of the rapid deterioration of county roads throughout the country; and the action he will take to deal with the problem.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Condition of County Roads.
1.
I am aware of the condition of roads generally, including county roads. The new road plan, which I published last January, sets out the Government's policies and provides a planning framework for the development of roads up to the mid-nineties. State expenditure of some £500 million is envisaged in the period 1985 to 1987. Under the plan, priority is being given to the allocation of road grants for the improvement and maintenance of the network of national roads and of major urban roads. These heavily-trafficked routes are of vital importance to the economic and social development of the country as a whole.
This year's allocation of £152.5 million represents an increase of 20 per cent or some 12 per cent in real terms relative to 1984. Expenditure on the improvement of county roads falls to be financed by local authorities from their own resources and is supplemented by the block grant for roads paid annually by my Department. The selection of improvement works to be carried out with these funds is entirely at the discretion of each local authority. This year's block grant allocation involved an increase of 10 per cent compared with 1984. Earlier this year I announced that a grant of up to 75 per cent of the cost will be paid towards the cost of approved improvement works on the more important county road bridges with a view to the preservation of the county road network.
In accordance with established practice under successive Governments, it is not proposed to make State grants available for county road maintenance. Expenditure under this heading will continue to be financed by local authorities from their own resources.
The new road plans, while they are welcome, do not solve the immediate problems in relation to county roads, many of which are dust tracks with potholes that you could lose your car in.
Deputy, please.
In view of the serious position that county councils find themselves in now, is the Minister prepared to make an extra allocation immediately to those councils to solve their road problems?
I have stated clearly in the reply that, in accordance with the established practice of successive Governments, the local authorities will continue to be responsible for road maintenance. I have no proposal at present to allocate additional finance to local authorities for these county roads.
The question asked if the Minister is aware of the rapid deterioration of county roads and it refers specifically in county roads, not to national primaries, secondaries or any other roads. Is the Minister aware of the condition of the county road system throughout the country which he must accept comprises approximately 80 per cent of the road network?
I am aware of the facts that the Deputy has brought forward and also of the volume of traffic carried by the other 20 per cent, the need for its upgrading and the reason for bringing in the plan for roads so that we can open up this country for economic development throughout. As I have said, the situation with regard to county roads is the responsibility of the local authorities and it is up to them to ensure that with the block grant which is given by my Department to them plus revenues which they may raise locally, the county roads are maintained at a usable level.
Surely the Minister is aware that none of the block grant money can be used for county road maintenance. Further, he must be aware that since the abolition of rates on houses and the introduction of the 1983 Act whereby the Minister now controls the amount of the rate support grant, the amount of revenue raised locally by local authorities——
That is not a question.
This is very important. Surely the Minister will agree that the amount of revenue available locally because of these two major changes has been reduced very substantially with the result that very little money is available for this work of county roads maintenance, with the result that the system is breaking up.
Deputies may not be satisfied with the answer but once the question is answered it is answered.
I am aware of the facts that the Deputy puts forward. I am also aware that perhaps the source of revenue which his party made issue of during the local elections to deprive local authorities of additional revenue could have been turned to the maintenance of county roads.
I have just one short question.
I am moving to the next question. I do not know whether the Deputy was here when I made an announcement regarding questions.
Is the Minister undertaking a review of the roads plan?
I am not going to allow it. Ceist 2.