I propose to take Questions Nos. 693 and 694 together.
I met with the Gort Regional Alliance for Community and Environment during a visit to Galway on 6 June last. One of the issues raised was the access to Gort from the proposed new N18 by-pass. The access road to Gort town from the proposed by-pass would be a national road and accordingly responsibility would be a matter for Galway County Council in conjunction with the National Roads Authority which operates under the aegis of my colleague the Minister for Transport. My Department has no function in relation to national roads.
The improvement and maintenance of non-national roads in Galway, including the Tubber road, is a matter for Galway County Council to be financed from its own resources supplemented by State grants provided by my Department. The initial selection and prioritisation of projects to be financed from these grants is also a matter for the Council. In July 2006, my Department invited local authorities to submit applications for consideration for funding in 2007 under the EU Co-Financed Specific Improvements Grant scheme. It is open to the Council to select and prioritise the Tubber road for consideration for funding in 2007 under that scheme.
All applications for funding under the scheme will be considered by my Department, having regard to the need to prioritise projects, compliance with EU eligibility criteria, competing demands from other local authorities and the funds available for the scheme in 2007. It is also open to the Council to fund works on this road from its Discretionary Improvement grant or from its own resources.
I intend to announce non-national roads grant allocations for 2007, including allocations to County Councils for EU Co-Financed schemes, early next year.