The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in their areas is a matter for local authorities to be funded from their own resources supplemented by State Grants. The initial selection of projects or works to be funded under the various grant categories is also a matter for local authorities.
In 2007, grants totalling €23.531 million were allocated to Kildare County Council for works on regional and local roads. This included a Discretionary Maintenance grant of €694,000 and a Discretionary Improvement grant of €587,000.
The funds available to local authorities for improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads are intended to cover contingencies arising from severe weather conditions. The "Memorandum on Grants for Non-National Roads" provides that the cost of remedial works necessitated by such conditions must be met from these resources and that local authorities should set aside contingency sums to finance these works.
My Department is also prepared to consider sympathetically any request from local authorities to adjust their multi-annual Restoration Programmes in order to prioritise work necessitated by severe weather conditions. In 2007, Kildare County Council was allocated a Restoration Improvement grant of €6.487 million and a Restoration Maintenance grant of €1.902 million.
I will announce the 2008 Regional and Local Road Grant Allocations shortly.