Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 September 2021
232. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport if additional allocations for roads investments in non-national roads will be made available to local authorities before the end of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43367/21]
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 Council's own resources supplemented by State road grants, where applicable.
Under the National Development Plan (NDP), as it stands, there has been a significant increase in Exchequer funding for regional and local roads, particularly in the last four years. Funding is not yet at the level needed for the adequate maintenance and renewal of regional and local roads and so for this reason, the primary focus for capital investment continues to be the protection and renewal of the network with some limited investment in road improvement projects.
Local authorities were notified of the 2021 regional and local road allocations in February this year. In addition, in June I announced the details of a €17.3 million investment package for climate adaptation works on regional and local roads with a view to making the network more resilient. All regional and local road grant funding available to my Department has now been allocated.
