Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 22 Mar 1994

Vol. 440 No. 4

Written Answers. - Non-National Roads Exchequer Grant Payments.

Dermot Ahern

Question:

162 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment if his Department took into consideration traffic count levels on non-national roads when it allocated funds in this regard to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Dermot Ahern

Question:

163 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give a county by county breakdown of the Exchequer spending per mile or kilometre of county and non-national roads for each of the years 1990 to 1993 and projected figures for 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. M. Smith)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 163 together. The specific information requested is set out in the following table which, in relation to the years 1990 to 1993, covers total payments made to county councils from the allocations for discretionary block maintenance and improvement grants — determined generally on a pro rata mileage basis — the supplementary grant for improvements and special grants for individual projects. The amount of grant under the last two categories was determined on a case by case basis, taking account respectively of the condition of roads and the merits of individual projects. Road grant payments to county councils cover both regional and county roads; it is a matter for each council to determine the apportionment as between the two categories.

The level of Exchequer grants in 1994, as shown in the table, will be increased when county councils are notified of their allocations under the scheme of specific grants for improvement works which are important to the generation of economic activity and employment. An additional sum of £33.6 million, representing some 50 per cent of the grants already allocated for non-national roads, will be allocated to local authorities for these works this year.

Traffic counts are not available for all sections of the non-national road network and are not, therefore, the basis of grant allocations for these roads. Traffic count data, where it is available, will, of course, be a relevant consideration in the making of allocations under the new scheme of grants for improvement works.

Non-National Roads Exchequer Grant Payments

County Councils	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
	£/km	£/km	£/km	£/km	£/km*
Carlow	720	714	708	657	617
Cavan	977	1,018	1,264	1,251	1,101
Clare	899	925	987	1,048	723
Cork	751	722	732	701	617
Donegal	729	791	771	723	817
Dublin	1,646	1,937	1,666	1,834	**1,003
Galway	893	836	776	733	691
Kerry	907	786	770	779	696
Kildare	1,232	1,249	1,102	972	930
Kilkenny	715	714	710	659	617
Laoighis	1,101	918	840	754	701
Leitrim	920	872	976	904	819
Limerick	806	787	787	736	694
Longford	946	1,012	1,001	1,040	995
Louth	1,051	943	989	887	618
Mayo	480	830	765	695	653
Meath	828	817	883	809	755
Monaghan	847	1,006	1,077	1,044	908
Offaly	1,330	1,029	939	887	718
Roscommon	818	814	839	848	671
Sligo	807	766	832	799	617
Tipperary NR	762	730	709	670	617
Tipperary SR	734	714	709	677	617
Waterford	729	724	710	671	617
Westmeath	714	734	717	671	616
Wexford	696	681	710	659	617
Wicklow	880	1,055	1,029	1,131	671

*£/km based on initial grant allocations for 1994. The total of these allocations will be increased (by up to 50 per cent in the aggregate) when allocations under the new scheme of grants for specific improvements are made.

**This figure relates to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin County Councils and includes non-national roads in the former Borough of Dún Laoghaire.