Vol. 447 No. 1
253 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if he has had any discussions with the Department of the Environment on the effect of the poor condition of county roads on the development of tourism in remoter regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3399/94]
My Department has been engaged in consultations with the Department of the Environment for some time about the need to improve roads of tourism importance throughout the country. The new operational programme for transport, 1994-1999 plans a total investment of about £330 million in national secondary and non-national roads (over 50 per cent of which will be contributed by the European Regional Development Fund). In addition a further £217 million will be invested directly by the Exchequer in these roads. Roads of tourism importance will benefit from this investment.
In identifying their non-national road priorities for 1995 for funding under the EU co-financed scheme of grants, I understand that local authorities have been asked by the Department of the Environment to select roads of tourism merit. Some weeks ago, my Department requested Bord Fáilte and the other tourism agencies to make known to local authorities the tourism roads priorities in their respective regions.
My Department is separately communicating these priorities to the Department of the Environment and will be urging that Department to select, inter alia, those roads which have been identified by the tourism agencies as important in a tourism context. The Deputy will appreciate that it is the Department of the Environment, in conjunction as appropriate with the National Roads Authority, which are the responsible authorities for deciding what tourism roads improvements are supported under the new transport programme.
