Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
2393. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the start and completion date and budget breakdown for the northern distributor road in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32612/19]
View answer2394. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeline for the construction of the northern distributor road in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32613/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2393 and 2394 together.
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in its area is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants.
Under the National Development Plan 2018-2027 (NDP) the main focus of funding for regional and local roads is on maintenance and renewal of the network with some limited investment in road improvements.
My Department has provided some funding to Clare County Council in relation to the proposed Limerick Northern Distributor Road, with a view to bringing the project through the route selection stage and allow the local authority the possibility of preserving a route corridor to facilitate the possible development of the road in the long term. My Department is also facilitating the preparation and consideration of an economic and financial project appraisal of the scheme, including an assessment of the impact on the costs associated with the Limerick Tunnel PPP contract, in line with the requirements of the current Public Spending Code (PSC) and my Department's Capital Appraisal Framework (CAF).
Under the NDP there is, however, no Exchequer regional and local road grant funding in place at present to progress this scheme through the planning process to construction stage.
