Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 October 2017
191. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is examining the capital expenditure needed to improve road infrastructure which would also include road safety measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42044/17]
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 national road projects is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
In addition, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of the local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the local authority's 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.
Investment priorities for the period to 2022 are set out in the Capital Plan published in September 2015. Decisions on the transport elements of the Capital Plan were framed by the conclusions reached in my Department’s Strategic Investment Framework for Land Transport. Based on the findings in that report, it is envisaged that maintenance and renewal of the road network will continue to be the main priority and the bulk of the roads capital budget, approximately €4.4 billion, is earmarked for such essential work with the balance being spent on the PPP road programme and a limited number of road improvement projects.
As regards the allocation of additional funding as part of the Capital Plan Review, decisions on such allocations have yet to be made by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. As Minister, I have to work within the budget available to my Department.
