Vol. 552 No. 3
146 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his Department will provide extra funding to Kildare County Council to facilitate urgently required road restoration and improvements in respect of the county and regional road network and cul-de-sacs or other such roads in the charge of the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12391/02]
Since 1997, non-national road grants to Kildare County Council have increased by 384% from €6.427 million in 1997 to €31.079 million in 2002. The 2002 allocation represents an increase of 48% on the 2001 outturn of €21.061 million. In 2002, Kildare County Council will spend €34.749 million on non-national roads –€31,079 million in State grants and €3.670 million from its own resources. Grants under the restoration programme, which commenced in 1995 with the aim of restoring regional and local roads in county council areas by the end of 2005, continue to be the main thrust of the non-national roads programme. Under this programme, grants to Kildare County Council have increased from €1.042 million in 1995 to €7.253 million in 2002, an increase of almost 600%. I am satisfied that this significantly increased level of funding, supplemented by the council's own resources, is providing adequately for the ongoing maintenance and improvement needs of the non-national roads in County Kildare.
All non-national road grants for 2002 have now been fully allocated and there are no further funds available, which would allow for any additional grants to be allocated over and above those already allocated in the current year.
