Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2016
470. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of tertiary roads and culs-de-sac which underwent local improvement schemes and community improvement schemes, in tabular form, by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8468/16]
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.
There has been longstanding provision for local authorities to seek community involvement in the improvement and maintenance work on suitable local roads and to facilitate this local authorities are able to allocate a portion of their grant funding to eligible schemes.
A separate Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) pilot scheme did operate for two years in 2013 and 2014. Following its completion the scheme reverted back to allowing local authorities to set aside 7.5% of their Restoration Improvement (RI) and Restoration Maintenance (RM) grants for CIS schemes if they so wish.
The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) provides funding for road and laneways that councils have not taken in charge. That is, private roads and landways, the maintenance and improvement of which is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant landowner. A grant allocation was provided to local authorities towards LIS up to 2012.
While the LIS for regional and local roads remains in place, since 2012 my Department does not provide a separate grant allocation towards this scheme. Instead local authorities may use a proportion of State grant funding for LIS should they wish to do so. Where local authorities elect to operate the LIS, applications are made directly to the local authority.
As the operation of both the CIS and LIS schemes is managed locally by the relevant local authority my Department does not have details of schemes undertaken in local authority areas or the costs involved.
