asked the Minister for the Environment the average surface-dressing cycle on our country roads on a county by county basis in 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1988; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Roads Surface-Dressing Cycle.
158.
I presume the Deputy is referring to county roads. Information in the form requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department.
The primary responsibility for the maintenance (including surface dressing) of county roads rests with each county council. It has never been the practice to make State road grants available for the maintenance of such roads. Expenditure under this heading falls to be financed by the local authorities from their own resources. However, I recently allocated grants totalling £15 million for the strengthening of county roads in 1988, compared with £15 million in 1987 and £5 million last year.
Information relating to county roads which local authorities have supplied is being considered by the Department in the context of the preparation of a blueprint for the development of national, regional and county roads which I intend to publish within a few months.