Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 February 2016
593. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the funding he has allocated as grants for regional and local roads to each local authority will be adequate to keep roads in a steady-state condition of maintenance; how much more fixed capital investment is required to keep roads in this steady-state condition, by local authority or in lieu of this nationally. [4474/16]
View answerI refer the Deputy to my reply to PQ 45749/15 of 17 December 2015 where I outlined the amount of steady state fixed-capital investment required to maintain the road network.
On 26 January, I announced details of the investment programme for 2016 for regional and local roads. As the Deputy is aware, the financial crisis resulted in major cutbacks in funding for regional and local roads and it is going to take some time to build up expenditure again. The 7 year transport Capital Plan does provide for the gradual build up in capital funding for the road network from the current relatively low base towards the levels needed to support maintenance and improvement works over the period of the plan.
As the purpose of Exchequer funding is to supplement the own-resources spending of local authorities, I am emphasising to local authorities the importance of prioritising expenditure on roads when allocating own resources, including revenue from Local Property Tax receipts.
In addition to the State grant allocations already made to local authorities, funding of €106 million is being earmarked to assist in the repair of transport infrastructure damaged in the recent storms and floods and to take preventative measures, where appropriate. My Department will be liaising closely with local authorities on the work needed to deal with the damage.
