Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme

Thursday, 3 April 2014

Questions (265)

Clare Daly

Question:

265. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that planning permission was granted in 2009 for the construction of a new independently supported footbridge adjacent to Markievicz Bridge, Sligo; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Sligo County Council submitted the applications to his Department for funding for the project in 2013 and 2014; if it is the intention of his Department to provide financial assistance for the project in the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15728/14]

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Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, including bridges, 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 or bridges are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the Council.

Sligo County Council were paid €75,000 in 2007 under the Specific Improvement Grant Scheme in respect of the Markievicz Footbridge. This grant was used to prepare preliminary design and planning procedures for this footbridge. No funding under the Specific Improvement Grant Scheme was provided for this scheme in 2013.

Given the need to prioritise funding for repair and strengthening works, the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme has been curtailed in 2014. Provision is still being made for minor bridge repair and rehabilitation works. In this context Sligo County Council has been allocated €189,000 for Bridge Rehabilitation works in 2014.

It is important to reiterate that the role of the Exchequer grant aid is to supplement Councils' own resource spending on regional and local roads.