Vol. 568 No. 6
309 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government his views on a statement by a person (details supplied) on the urgency concerning the need for infrastructural development, be it communications, road, rail, electricity or gas, for regions such as Inishowen, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17005/03]
I am aware of the statement referred to and I endorse the need to secure balanced regional development throughout the State.
My Department's main role – infrastructural development of regions, such as Inishowen, County Donegal, relates to the non-national roads programme. Under this programme my Department provides grant aid to supplement local authorities own resources for the maintenance and improvement of non-national roads.
Donegal County Council's 2003 non-national road grant allocation of more than €27 million includes an allocation of €6.83 million for 18 projects under the EU co-financed specific improvement grants category. Grants under this category are allocated to local authorities for individual road improvement projects, which specifically facilitate regional and local development, and particularly roads serving industry, tourism, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, ports and regional airports.
The following table outlines non-national road projects in the Inishowen area which have been allocated EU co-financed specific improvement grants in 2003:
|
Project |
2003 Allocation |
|
€ |
|
|
R238 Buncrana Inner Relief Road [Phase 1: Ardaravan] |
300,000 |
|
R238 Fahan – Toban |
330,000 |
|
R238, R240 Carndonagh Relief Road |
300,000 |
|
R238 Redcastle – Moville |
300,000 |
|
Total |
1,230,000 |
