Vol. 442 No. 3
28 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give details of Structural Funds/Cohesion Funds available for country road improvement and maintenance in 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
State grants of £101.4 million are being provided in 1994 for the improvement and maintenance of nonnational roads. This is the largest sum ever provided by the Exchequer for this purpose and represents an increase of 35 per cent on the 1993 provision.
Within this overall provision, a total of £33.6 million has been set aside for grants for specific improvement projects which have a significant and quantifiable economic impact, particularly as regards employment and on industrial, tourism, agricultural and rural development. EU Structural Fund assistance towards this expenditure is proposed in the National Development Plan. Such assistance will not, however, be available for maintenance works. Cohesion Fund assistance can only be used to co-finance significant improvement projects on the national primary routes forming part of the Trans European Road Network.
