Sligo County Council has been allocated £5,768,000 in central grants for non-national roads in 2000, an increase of 45% on the initial 1997 allocation of £3,978,000.
During the same period, the discretionary maintenance grant to Sligo County Council has been increased by some 43% from £276,000 to £394,000, while the restoration maintenance grant has grown by more than 43% from £671,000 to £961,000.
In addition, Sligo County Council will assign £520,000 from its own resources this year to on-national roads, making £6,288,000 available in total to the council for non-national road maintenance and improvement.
I am satisfied this increased level of central funding, supplemented by the local authority's own resources, is providing appropriate support for the maintenance of the non-national road network in County Sligo and for its systematic and accelerated improvement.