The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants paid by my Department. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
On 22nd February, I announced the 2010 regional and local road grant allocations. A total of €411.409 million is being provided to local authorities this year for the maintenance and improvement of regional and local roads. In deciding on allocations for 2010 the first priority was to ensure the protection of the existing road network and, particularly the massive Exchequer investment of €6 billion which we have made through the provision of regional and local road grants since 1997. It is important that resources are therefore targeted to address, on a priority basis, the most urgently required repairs resulting from the extensive damage caused by the prolonged severe weather.
Local authorities have been asked to carefully re-assess their planned road programmes for 2010 having regard to these priorities. In August 2009, Cork County Council submitted a proposal for funding the land acquisition and construction of this project in 2010 and beyond. The estimated cost of this project is approximately €18.5 million. Since then I have met with local authority representatives and Deputy Michael McGrath regarding this issue. I wrote to Cork County Council (through local Deputy Michael McGrath) on 30th April 2010, raising a number of issues and including the need to ensure that land costs are not excessive and that adequate development contributions are levied.
