Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 May 2013
713. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when funds will be provided to Galway County Council to construct the Claregalway relief road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25328/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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. Given the current financial position it has been necessary to reduce the grant allocations for major new road schemes and for major realignment schemes. The main focus has to be on the maintenance and repair of roads and this will remain the position in the coming years. The small amount of funding available for major schemes will focus on projects already under construction or that this Department is already committed to.
I announced the 2013 regional and local road grant allocations on 25 January this year. A total of €350 million is being provided under the Regional and Local Roads Investment Programme this year down from over €607 million in 2007.
The preliminary cost estimate given in the 2010 Feasibility Study Report for the project was approximately €21 million. The funding available in 2013 for all strategic routes is just over €22 million. The Council has been allocated €50,000 towards the design of the Báile Chláir Inner Relief Road this year however the reality is that my Department is not in a position to commit funding to the construction of a relief road for Claregalway at this stage, but we will reconsider the matter should the financial position improve.
