I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 259 together.
The provision, improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants. Kilkenny County Council was provided with €350,000 between 2008 and 2009 from my Department in connection with this project under the Strategic Non National Road Grants Scheme. It should be noted that the Strategic Grants scheme is scheduled to be discontinued from 2014 onward in order to focus monies on the repair and maintenance of regional and local roads. The small amount of funding available for major schemes will focus on projects already under construction or to which the Department is already committed. The procedural and planning matters in relation to the scheme of concern to the Deputy are matters for Kilkenny County Council and are not matters in which I have a function.
