Vol. 537 No. 3
76 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he received a request for additional funding for maintenance from Wicklow County Council as a result of damage caused by flooding in November and December of 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15628/01]
A request from Wicklow County Council for special funding for flood damaged roads was received in my Department in February 2001. My Department has informed the council that funds allocated to local authorities for non-national roads are in principle designed to cover contingencies arising from severe weather conditions, but that the Department will be prepared to consider any request to adjust the council's multi-annual restoration programme to prioritise works necessitated by flood damage to particular roads. Wicklow County Council's non-national road grant allocation in 2001 is £7.107 million which represents a 25% increase on the 2000 allocation and an increase of 102% compared to 1997. The council's 2001 discretionary maintenance and restoration maintenance grants of £396,000 and £815,000 are also substantially increased from £304,000 and £741,000 in 2000 – increases of 30% and 10%, respectively. I am satisfied that State grant funding of £7.107 million combined with Wicklow County Council's own resources of £1.963 million, provides appropriately for the council's ongoing non-national road requirements in 2001.
