Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 22 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 3

Written Answers. - Roads Projects.

Emmet Stagg

Question:

195 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will provide information in relation to the 15 local authorities mentioned in his response to Parliamentary Question No. 323 of 10 April 2003 in respect of the years 2003, 2002 and 2001, regarding the amount of funding sought by each local authority for EU co-financed specific improvement grants and housing and other related development grants; and the amount of funding actually sanctioned by his Department. [14142/03]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

The reference to the 15 local authorities in the reply to Question No. 323 of 10 April, 2003 related only to the grant category – non-national roads to support housing and other development. The aim of this Exchequer-funded investment programme is to provide grant assistance for certain strategic non-national roads required to open up land for housing development in local authorities comprised of, or adjacent to, the most densely populated areas of the country where housing needs are greatest.

A total of 48 schemes in 15 local authorities were approved for funding in December 2000 under this programme. A maximum qualifying grant of 75% of the estimated cost of each scheme was approved at the time and details of the payments made in 2001 and 2002 and the allocations for 2003 to each of the 15 local authorities under this programme, are set out in the following table:

Non-National Roads Grants to Facilitate Housing and Other Related Developments 2001 – 2003

Local Authority	2001 Payment€	2002 Payment€	2003 Initial Allocation€
Cork County Council	98,075	87,953	300,000
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council	10,157,905	9,712,394	4,000,000
Fingal County Council	89,321	554,250	4,750,000
Galway County Council	184,994	752,103	1,050,000
Kildare County Council	11,188,886	13,987,814	4,543,781
Limerick County Council		58,100	2,000,000
Meath County Council	5,312,069	7,095,312	8,250,000
South Dublin County Council	1,777,633	1,537,528	9,000,000
Waterford County Council	857,073	1,122,439	989,066
Wicklow County Council	259,027	587,204	2,000,000
Cork City Council	45,711	118,746	311,695
Dublin City Council	51,737	72,117	4,000,000
Galway City Council	52,097	1,428,054	934,015
Limerick City Council	288,104	1,162,703	1,500,000
Waterford City Council	227,047	297,998	3,563,000
Total	€30,589,679	€38,574,715	€47,191,557

Any local authority may submit projects for consideration for funding under the EU co-financed specific improvement scheme. Grants under this scheme are allocated to local authorities for road improvement projects which specifically facilitate regional and local development and particularly roads serving industry, tourism, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, ports and regional airports. The majority of works involve the strengthening, widening and realignment of existing roads and the strengthening of bridges. A very small number involve the construction of new roads.