Batt O'Keeffe
Question:70 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment if he will provide funding for a link road from Ardarostig to Melbourne Road in County Cork to alleviate the traffic problems in that area. [23684/96]
Written Answers. - Roads Funding.
Micheál Martin
Question:228 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make funds available to enable Cork Corporation commence construction of the link road from Ardrostig Cross to Curraheen in order to alleviate traffic congestion in residential areas in Bishopstown, Cork. [1943/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 228 together. This link road, if constructed, would be a non-national road and responsibility for its construction and financing would normally be a matter for Cork Corporation, relying on its own resources and the annual discretionary grant provided by my Department.
I have recently allocated £1.538 million to Cork Corporation by way of grants for non-national roads, including a discretionary grant allocation of £1.088 million. There are no funds available to me from which a further special grant could be made to the corporation. It would be open to the corporation to consider whether to apply for funding for the road under the EU co-financed scheme of grants for specific improvements work on non-national roads which are of economic benefit and help generate employment. No such application was submitted by the corporation in respect of 1997.