asked the Minister for the Environment if he will state in respect of the ten-year road improvement plan for Connemara roads submitted by Galway County Council; (a) the annual allocations made to date; (b) details of the remaining works to be carried out; and (c) the progress made to date in implementing the ten-year programme.
Written Answers. - Connemara Road Improvement Plan.
224.
This plan relates to regional and county roads. Responsibility for the planning and execution of improvement wos on such roads rests with the road authority, in this case Galway County Council. This plan does not require my approval.
Improvement works on regional and county roads are normally financed by the road authority's own resources, supplemented by the block grants allocated annually by my Department. The authority has wide discretion in the determination of the programme of works to be undertaken with these grants.
Since the plan was received in the Department block grants totalling £707,000 in 1981, £732,500 in 1982 and £812,000 in 1983 have been notified to Galway County Council. In addition, special grants totalling £100,000 in 1981, £265,000 in 1982 and £280,000 in 1983 have been notified to the council for the purpose of financing the strengthening of regional roads in the Connemara area. The remaining information sought by the Deputy relates to matters within the discretion of the local authority and is not available in the Department.