Vol. 430 No. 3
111 Ms McManus asked the Minister for the Environment his views on whether areas in counties surrounding Dublin, which are experiencing great pressure from suburban development, are in need of an extra allocation for development of proper roads and footpaths; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Road grants totalling £54.228 million have been allocated this year to the local authorities in counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow, an increase of 16.6 per cent on the grants paid in 1992. This substantial allocation will allow work to be maintained or started on major projects such as Leixlip/Maynooth/Kilcock by-pass, the Newbridge-Kilcullen by-pass, the N3 at Martry (Meath), the Killarney Road interchange south of Bray, and pavement improvement between the Glen of the Downs and Kilpedder.
The road network linking these counties with Dublin has been improved significantly in recent years with the completion of the Shankill/Bray and Newtownmountkennedy by-passes, and the by-passes of Blanchardstown and Clonee.
The 1993 allocations to the three counties concerned include grants of £6.602 million to supplement expenditure from their own resources on the maintenance and improvement of regional, county and urban roads including £1.2 million in supplementary discretionary grants for improvement works in recognition of the special needs of these areas. Subject to general guidelines, the determination of priorities in the expenditure of these funds is entirely a matter for the local authorities concerned.
