Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Feb 1994

Vol. 438 No. 1

Written Answers. - Road Maintenance Funding.

Willie Penrose

Question:

76 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment if he intends to allocate increased funding to local authorities for road strengthening and maintenance in view of the fact that this is especially important for rural areas where the road infrastructure is vital for agriculture and industrial development, the development of rural areas, the employment possibilities in such areas and the retention of the maximum people in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. M. Smith)

As announced in the budget, a further £15 million is being provided this year for the maintenance of non-national roads. The increase will help protect the substantial investment over recent years in improving these roads and assist local authorities to undertake work necessitated by adverse weather and flooding experienced since last summer. The total State provision for the maintenance of these roads in 1994 (£28.3 million) is 130 per cent more than last year's. In addition, the provision for State grants for the improvement of non-national roads has been increased by £10.6 million to a total of £73.6 million in 1994. In both cases, I will notify local authorities of their individual allocations as soon as possible.

Overall, a total of £101.9 million is provided for this year for grants to local authorities to supplement expenditure for their own resources on the maintenance and improvement of non-national roads. This represents an increase of £26.6 million, or over 35 per cent, on last year's grants. I expect local authorities to at least maintain the level of expenditure financed from their own resources on these roads so that maximum benefit can be realised from the additional grants.