Vol. 502 No. 3
422 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the circumstances, if any, whereby EU or Exchequer funds can be made available for the provision of car parks either directly to local authorities based on overall localised development needs or in the context of the provision of national road realignments or town bypasses. [8054/99]
Responsibility for the maintenance and improvement of non-national roads lies with local authorities, to be funded from their own resources supplemented by allocations from the local government fund. As part of their allocations, county councils receive discretionary improvement grants and urban authorities receive block grants; the provision of appropriate car parking facilities may be funded by local authorities from these sources. Responsibility for works relating to the national road network lies with the National Roads Authority.
Under the operational programme for local urban and rural development 1994-1999 and the EU special support programme for peace and reconciliation, grants are available to local authorities for the carrying out of environmental improvement works in urban and village areas. Where the provision of car parking facilities forms part of a project under these programmes, the cost can be considered as part of the eligible expenditure for grant purposes.
Finally, the 1999 budget included a provision of £2 million for the development on a pilot basis of park and ride facilities in the Dublin area. The Dublin Transportation Office is responsible for allocating funds under this budget line.
