Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 March 2022
176. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport the proposed solution to ensuring both road safety, maintenance and repair of the road in circumstances in which a rural road is not taken in charge by the local authority and also does not meet the criteria as set down under the local improvement scheme as they serve only houses or buildings occupied or used by persons not engaged in agriculture. [13597/22]
View answerThe maintenance of roads not taken in charge by local authorities is the responsibility of the relevant landowners.
The Local Government Act 2001 provides the statutory basis for a Local Improvement Scheme (LIS). Under that scheme, funding can be provided to local authorities for the construction and improvement of non-public roads (that is roads not taken in charge by local authorities) which meet the criteria set out in the Act. The Department of Rural and Community Development is providing funding for the LIS. My Department provides grant assistance to local authorities for the maintenance of public roads and is not operating a LIS for non-public roads.
As regards the decision to take a road in charge, this is a matter for each local authority in accordance with Section 11 of the Roads Act 1993. This Department has no proposal to amend the existing legislative arrangements in relation to taking roads in charge.
