Vol. 552 No. 1
430 Mr. Healy asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will provide additional moneys for the maintenance, upkeep and strengthening of county roads in south Tipperary; and his plans for a significant increase in the grant for local improvement schemes in the county. [11076/02]
The maintenance and improvement of non-national roads in its area is a matter for South Tipperary County Council to be funded from its own resources and supplemented by State grants. Since 1997, non-national road grants to South Tipperary County Council have increased by almost 80%. The €9,489,428 allocation for 2002 represents an increase of over 8% on the corresponding 2001 initial allocation of €8,763,732. The county council's 2002 discretionary improvement and maintenance grants of €637,000 and €754,000 have also increased significantly from €585,000 and €692,000 in 2001, increases of approximately 9% in each category.
Funding under the local improvements scheme has also increased significantly in recent years. The total allocation to county councils in 2002 is €11.208 million, which is an increase of 194% on the 1997 allocation of €3,809,000 and 10% on the 2001 allocation of €10.158 million. South Tipperary County Council's share of this allocation is €103,995, which represents increases of 64% and 13% on its 1997 and 2001 allocations respectively. Non-national road grants for 2002, including the local improvements scheme, have now been fully allocated and there are no further funds available to allow for any additional grants over and above those already allocated in the current year.
