Vol. 540 No. 3
225 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will outline precisely the responsibilities and legal authorities of the county council and the National Roads Authority when planning the building and maintaining of national primary roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20867/01]
Under the Roads Act, 1993, the NRA has overall responsibility for the planning, supervision and grant aiding of works for the construction and maintenance of national roads. The Minister for the Environment and Local Government appoints the members of the authority and is responsible for the payment of block grants to it and certain broad policy matters. Under the Planning and Development Act, 2000, quasi-judicial functions, such as the approval of motorway schemes and road developments the subject of environmental impact statements, are vested in An Bord Pleanála.
The policy framework for the improvement of national roads is set out in the National Development Plan 2000-2006, together with the Community Support Framework and the Economic and Social Infrastructure Operational Programme. Within this framework it is a matter for the NRA to prioritise and schedule individual road improvement projects and to progress them in co-operation with local authorities.
The NRA is required by the Roads Act, 1993, as far as practicable, to arrange that relevant functions are performed on its behalf by the appropriate local authorities but may perform such functions directly and may also issue directions to local authorities.
