Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 20 Mar 1991

Vol. 406 No. 7

Written Answers. - County Leitrim Bridge.

John Connor

Ceist:

183 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for the Environment if he has studied the consultant's report which recommends the construction of a new bridge over the River Shannon at Hartley, Carrick-on-Shannon straddling the Roscommon and Leitrim boundaries; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the existing bridge has been designated as highly dangerous; and if he will confirm that funding will be provided in the current year to Roscommon and Leitrim County Councils to commence work on the new bridge.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

I am aware of the condition of Hartley Bridge and of the consultant's report commissioned by Leitrim County Council. The bridge does not form part of the network of national roads and the cost of any work carried out by the local authorities concerned would normally fall to be financed from the authorites' own resources supplemented by the discretionary grants for non-national roads. In 1991, the discretionary grants allocated to Leitrim and Roscommon County Councils amount to some £4.8 million. The selection of works to be carried out with these grants is a matter for the local authorities subject to general guidelines issued by the Department.

Having regard to the level of funds available for special grants for non-national roads and the priority of other projects throughout the country, I do not propose to make a special grant in this case.