Local authorities have statutory responsibility for the maintenance of all public roads under section 13 of the Roads Act 1993 and this includes winter maintenance. Funding for winter maintenance of national roads is allocated to local authorities by the National Roads Authority (NRA). I provide grants in respect of regional and local roads to supplement local authorities' own resources. These allocations are inclusive of a weather risk factor and local authorities are expressly advised to set aside contingency sums to finance weather related works.
My Department has commenced a review of the transport aspects of the recent severe weather and that will include consideration of whether there should be any organisational changes of the type referred to by the Deputy. During the recent severe weather the Defence Forces were available on request to assist local authorities. While the priority was to provide assistance for emergencies the Defence Forces were available to assist in other ways including with transport and personnel. Under the Strategic Emergency Planning Guidance the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has the lead role in co-ordinating the national response to severe weather and my Department has a major support role in relation to the transport-related aspects of that response.