Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 November 2019
926. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when funding will be made available to Kerry County Council to carry out works on the Rathscannel road, R551, Abbeydorney, County Kerry; the plans in place to have the road reopened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44820/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of the relevant local authority 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. Details of the regional and local road grant allocations and payments to local authorities are outlined in the regional and local road grant booklets which are available in the Oireachtas Library.
Decisions relating to road closures and re-openings on regional and local roads are a matter entirely for the local authority and I have no involvement in that process.
€300,000 was allocated to R556 Dale Road through the Specific Improvement Grant in January 2019. Specifically, this project from Ballinclogher to Rathscannel, aims to improve safety, journey times and the quality of this regional road. Preliminary ground investigation works, approved and managed by the local authority, include the closure of the R556, with local diversions and alternative HGV routes at Abbeydorney and Ballyduff. Other traffic management measures relating to this project, including signage and reduced road speeds, are also managed by Kerry County Council. To date in 2019, Kerry County Council has drawn down over €130,000 for this project.
There are no specific grants allocated to the R551 to which the Deputy refers and upgrades to this road are a matter for the local authority to manage through their own resources and the pavement and rehabilitation grants allocated annually.
Grant allocations for 2020 will be announced early next year.
