asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of the serious deterioration in the county roads in Monaghan and Cavan and if he will make a special allocation to repair and improve them.
Written Answers. - Monaghan and Cavan Roads.
40.
I am aware of the condition of roads generally, including county roads, in Counties Monaghan and Cavan. Primary responsibility for the planning and execution of improvement works on county roads rests with the local authorities. The expenditure involved normally falls to be financed by the local authorities from their own resources which may be supplemented by the block grant for roads paid annually by my Department. The block grant may also be used, in the case of county councils, for the improvement, maintenance and management of non-national main roads, and for the implementation of traffic management measures. The disposition of the block grant, including the extent, if any, to which it is to be applied to improvement works on county roads, is a matter for each local authority.
Since 1981, Monaghan and Cavan County Councils have benefited from funds provided specifically for the improvement of county roads under the EC western package. The amounts of these grants provided to Monaghan and Cavan County Councils to date total £541,000 and £819,000 respectively. 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.