Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 February 2017
754. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which funding is being made available for the Naas inner relief road which connects the Blessington Road to the Dublin Road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9553/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in Kildare is the statutory responsibility of Kildare County Council, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the Council's own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the Council.
Given the cutbacks in State funding for regional and local roads since the financial crisis, it has been necessary to curtail the grant programme for major new regional and local road schemes and for major realignment schemes in order to protect the funding available for the maintenance of the existing network. The bulk of the funding allocated under the Capital Plan is, therefore, earmarked for the maintenance and renewal of the road network with some limited investment in the new projects. I announced the 2017 regional and local road allocations to local authorities (including Kildare County Council) on 24 January and all funding has now been allocated. However, in relation to infrastructure for development, as part of the Government's Housing Action Plan, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and the Minister for Public Expenditure Reform have put in place the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) to target investment in enabling infrastructure to activate large housing development areas to deliver additional supply of social and private housing. The Deputy may wish to ask the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if any proposal has been put forward by Kildare County Council regarding the infrastructure he refers to.
