Deputy, in response to your query on the total amounts of monies awarded to Louth County Council, my Department has invested funds in the following areas, in the period 2016 to 2022 inclusive; National Roads, Regional and Local Roads, EV Infrastructure and Active Travel Infrastructure. Where appropriate, the funds are set out in tabular format.
Road Networks
In relation to national roads, as Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the Public Spending Code and the necessary statutory approvals. In this context, TII is best placed to advise on funding in Co. Louth. Noting the above position, I have referred your question, on this occasion, to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
With reference to regional and local roads, 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 Councils' own resources supplemented by State Road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
As regards the regional and local road grant funding allocated to Louth County Council in each of the years 2016 to 2022, details of the regional and local road grant allocations to local authorities are outlined in the regional and local road allocations booklets which are available in the Oireachtas Library. The funding drawn down by Louth County Council in each of the years 2016 to 2021 is reflected in the regional and local road payments booklets which are also available in the Oireachtas Library. To date in 2022, Louth County Council has drawn down €1,107,872.
EV Infrastructure
In 2021 €82,463 was awarded to Louth County Council to install 20 EV charge points.
Active Travel
Please see below in tabular format the Active Travel grants awarded to Louth Co. Council, the amount spent and the amount returned.
|
YEAR
|
€ AWARDED
|
€ SPENT
|
€ RETURNED
|
|
YEAR
|
€ AWARDED
|
€ SPENT
|
€ RETURNED
|
|
2016
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2017
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2018
|
€3,000
|
€3,000
|
0
|
|
2019
|
€30,283
|
€25,111
|
€5,172
|
|
2020
|
€641,069
|
€585,193
|
€55,876
|
|
2021
|
€4,662,795
|
€1,788,045
|
€2,874,750
|
|
2022 To Date
|
€6,786,301
|
€1,515,374
|
€5,270,927
|
As well as the long-established investment in our road network, I am pleased to see that the type and range of funding extended to Louth County Council in recent years is reflective of Government policies concerning EV Infrastructure and Active Travel. Compared to the scale of investment in roads over the decades, both programmes are still in their infancy. This has led to some Active Travel underspends as Councils gear up both resources and approved projects to invest the grants awarded. As the programmes mature and the investment is maintained, in line with the commitments under the NDP 2021-2030, I am confident that Louth will reap very positive dividends from sustained investment in the coming years.
It is vital that we provide alternatives to the private car, particularly in all urban areas, of all sizes, for people who only plan to travel short distances, when cars are typically used more from habit than necessity. A high-quality active travel network is one of the fastest ways that we can reduce carbon consumption as well as provide a financially more economical alternative to driving. When the private car is required, for longer distances, a comprehensive EV network will be required to support the future state, where EVs are the dominant car on our roads and ICE vehicles are rendered functionally obsolete. My Department's policies and funding will assist Louth Co. Council in meeting these objectives.
I have contacted all Local Authorities personally in recent weeks to encourage them to drawdown the funding allocated to them by my Department in 2022 to fully benefit the citizen.
