asked the Minister for the Environment the total amount of moneys awarded to Kildare County Council in 1989 for road strengthening improvement and elimination of potholes for minor roads in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - County Kildare Road Allocation.
191.
Primary responsibility for the network of non-national roads rests with the local authorities. Because of my concern about the condition of regional and county roads, I have made substantial increases in the levels of road grant funding for these roads since 1987. The 1989 discretionary road grants allocations notified for regional and county roads to county councils amount to £47.4 million, compared with £33.4 million in 1988 and £23 million in 1986. The £47.4 million is the first instalment of the three year programme of works on regional and county roads which I announced earlier this year. The programme covers the period 1989 to 1991 and will cost £150 million in discretionary State road grants.
The 1989 discretionary road grant allocations notified to Kildare County Council for regional and county roads amount to £0.954 million, compared with grant payments amounting to £0.689 million under equivalent headings in 1988.