Vol. 577 No. 4
282 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the action taken to date by his Department to implement the recommendations of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport on Shannon flooding; the action he intends to take to implement the recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31502/03]
The recommendations of the interim report on flooding on the River Shannon by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport were among the factors considered in determining non-national road grant allocations from 2001 to 2003. They will also be borne in mind in determining the 2004 non-national road grant allocations which will be announced in early 2004.
The significant resurfacing of the non-national roads programme in recent years has provided the opportunity, at the discretion of the road authorities concerned, for prioritising action in relation to the problems identified in the interim report, if necessary on a phased basis.
My Department will also be prepared to consider sympathetically any request from local authorities in the Shannon catchment area to adjust their multi-annual restoration programmes so as to prioritise works to repair flood damage to particular roads.
