Vol. 552 No. 4
122 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will give a commitment that his Department will pay the interest charges for all moneys borrowed by local authorities in County Sligo to ensure that the work on the mid-block route will commence, as it was agreed at a meeting of Sligo County Council that the Government would pay the interest on a ?5 million loan for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12704/02]
Under the Roads Act, 1993, the National Roads Authority – NRA – has overall responsibility for the planning and supervision of works for the construction and maintenance of national roads, including the route referred to in the question.
The NRA receives an annual block grant from my Department from which allocations are made to local authorities in respect of individual road projects within the policy framework of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 and the associated economic and social infrastructure operational programme.
An allocation of €1.9 million was provided to Sligo County Council for the Sligo inner relief – or "mid block"– route in 2001. Further funding of €1.27 million is being provided in 2002 to allow planning of the scheme to continue this year.
