Vol. 408 No. 7
145 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment if he will allocate funds for the improvement of the road from Moneen to Kilkenny Cross at Castlebar, County Mayo; if, arising from the new M5 entrance to Castlebar, his attention has been drawn to the substantial increase in traffic on this section; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am aware of the increase in the traffic on the R373 from Moneen to Kilkenny Cross. The cost of improving non-national roads, such as this normally falls to be financed by the local authorities from their own resources, supplemented by the discretionary grants for improvement works provided annually by my Department. The timing of improvement works funded in this way is a matter for the relevant local authority. The discretionary grants for improvement works allocated to Mayo County Council for 1991 amount to £3,683,000.
146 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the necessity to improve the road entrance/exit from Castlebar on the Ballinrobe road from the railway bridge at Saleen to Aughadrinagh, Castlebar; if he has received a design proposal for this section; if he will make a special grant allocation available for this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I refer to the reply to Question No. 226 of 12 March 1991. The position is unchanged.
147 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment if he has received design plans for a spur road to exit off the new inner relief road in Castlebar, County Mayo, at St. Gerald's Colleges; if he has examined this design; and if, having regard to its unanimous approval by Mayo County Council, he will allocate funding for its completion in conjunction with other works being undertaken at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Drawings describing a proposed link road from the Castlebar Inner Relief Road to the Newport Road (R311) were received in my Department on 22 February 1991. A decision on the proposal is considered premature pending the completion of the Castlebar Inner Relief Road and an examination of the traffic patterns that will develop. Accordingly, the question of funding does not arise at this time.
