Vol. 501 No. 4
128 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the inquiries, if any, he has made with Kildare County Council regarding the future proposals for Cope Bridge, Leixlip, County Kildare, with particular reference to the pedestrian and increased traffic needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6472/99]
: The maintenance-improvement of non-national roads, including bridges, in its area is a matter for Kildare County Council, to be funded from its own resources, supplemented by allocations from the local government fund. Kildare County Council has been allocated a total of £8,055,000 in non-national roads grants in 1999, an increase of 14 per cent on the initial allocation figure for 1998 of £7,090,000. The initial selection of works-projects in County Kildare to which the various categories of non-national roads grants may be applied is a matter for Kildare County Council and my Department has no direct role in this matter.
132 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason for the delay of the project for the realignment of Bond Bridge, Maynooth, County Kildare; if his attention has been drawn to the dangers to pedestrians and other road users; the plans, if any, he has to offer extra funds to Kildare County Council for this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6476/99]
133 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when work will commence on Bond Bridge, Maynooth, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6478/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 133 together.
Statutory responsibility for the design and construction of non-national roads, including bridges, in their area is a matter for Kildare County Council. In April 1998, my Department approved a proposal of Kildare County Council to raise a loan of £1.5 million to fund a reconstruction project on Bond Bridge, Maynooth. I understand that the project is now at the design stage.
