Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 17 Oct 1991

Vol. 411 No. 2

Written Answers. - County Kildare Road and Bridge Works.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

55 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment the current position regarding the request from Kildare County Council for funds for the provision of a new bridge and road improvements at Bond Bridge, Maynooth, County Kildare; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that (1) delays with the project will result in increased cost and (2) Kildare County Council have already made available their own contributions towards this project; if inclusion of funding for this project was considered when framing the 1991 Estimates or if it will be included in the 1992 Estimates; his view on whether these works will be allowed to proceed in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

As Bond Bridge is located on a regional road, primary responsibility for this project rests with the local authority, Kildare County Council, and the cost falls to be financed from local resources, supplemented by the discretionary grants provided by my Department for such roads. In the case of Kildare County Council, these grants total £1,868,000 in 1991, including a supplementary grant of £500,000, for improvement works, because of the special needs of the county. The determination of priorities in the expenditure of these grants is a matter for the local authority.

Having regard to the level of funds available to me for special grants and the competing demand of other projects throughout the country, I am not in a position to provide such a grant in this case. The local authority have been so informed.