Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 June 2014
175. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be provided by the National Roads Authority for a road (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24939/14]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for the NRA in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act. As the implementation of individual schemes is a matter for the NRA, I have referred the position on the N86 scheme to the NRA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.
If the road in question is a regional or local road the improvement and maintenance of the road is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on such roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants.
In January 2014, my Department allocated a total of €332 million for regional and local roads. €12.7million was allocated to Kerry County Council, including €6.55 million for the Restoration Improvement Grant Programme (RI).
Furthermore, on 20 May, my Department announced a further €20m in stimulus funding for regional and local road improvements, of which Kerry received a further €507,531 for Restoration Improvement works and €440,037 for Community Involvement Schemes. The selection and prioritisation of works to be undertaken under the additional RI allocation is a matter for the local authority and the authority also has flexibility in relation to re-prioritising it's original RI programme as necessary.
It is, therefore, open to Kerry County Council to undertake works on this project under the additional RI allocation, to re-prioritise its RI programme if it wishes, to fund the works from its Discretionary Grant or through its own resources.
