Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2015
1156. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an application for funding for a road project (details supplied) in County Meath has been made; if it will be successful. [37376/15]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority. The R156 Dunboyne - Summerhill Road Improvement Scheme includes works to be undertaken from Jenkinstown to Mullagh Cross as part of the project. Over the period 2009 to 2013 grant funding of €183,853 was provided under the Specific Improvement Grant category for the design stage of this project.
Given the challenging financial climate, the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme was curtailed from 2014 in order to maximise the funding available for repair and strengthening work on the existing road network and it was not, therefore, possible to provide further grant assistance to the R156 project. In this context, it is important to reiterate that the purpose of Exchequer funding is to supplement local authorities' own resources and I have been emphasising to local authorities the importance of prioritising expenditure on roads when allocating own resources, including revenue from Local Property Tax receipts.
While the Capital Plan 2016-2021 provides for the build up over the period of the plan in capital funding for the road network towards the levels needed to support maintenance and improvement of the network, the primary focus in the next few years will continue to be on road maintenance and renewal rather than new projects.
