Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 29 Mar 1994

Vol. 440 No. 7

Written Answers. - Funding for Proposed Bridge.

John Connor

Ceist:

148 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for the Environment if he intends to provide funding for the construction of the proposed new bridge across the Shannon, Hartley Bridge, which connects County Leitrim with County Roscommon; if he is considering a joint proposal from Roscommon and Leitrim County Councils for the construction of this proposed bridge; if his attention has been drawn to the dangerous condition of the bridge at present and the traffic restrictions that have had to be imposed on it because of its condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. M. Smith)

It is a matter for the local authorities concerned to carry out any works required to Hartley Bridge and to meet the cost from their own resources, supplemented by the road grants provided annually by my Department for non-national roads. I have notified discretionary grant allocations totalling £1,990,000 and £2,459,000 to Leitrim and Roscommon County Councils, respectively, for this year. Both councils also had the opportunity to submit applications by 26 February 1994, for specific grants in respect of improvement projects on non-national roads which have a significant and quantifiable economic impact and which meet the criteria of the grants scheme. Leitrim County Council submitted 14 applications entailing total estimated expenditure of £2.030 million in 1994 and Roscommon County Council submitted 22 applications costing an estimated £3.917 million this year, but neither council included an application relating to Hartley Bridge.