Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2023
201. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport the grant funding provided to each of the four Dublin local authorities for road maintenance in each of the past ten years to date; how this compares with the funding requested; the measures in place to ensure the funding is drawn down and spent by the local authorities on road maintenance works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29144/23]
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 Councils' own resources supplemented by State Road grants, where applicable.
In the case of the four Dublin Councils, prior to the introduction of the Local Property Tax (LPT) grant funding was made available under the Department's Regional and Local Road Grant Programme to supplement the Councils' expenditure on maintenance. The arrangements agreed by Government when the LPT was introduced included a requirement that the Dublin Councils would use a specified amount of their LPT receipts to fund certain housing and regional and local roads maintenance services, replacing Exchequer funding. This remains the position. The local authorities are advised annually by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage of the amounts to be self-funded in each category. In the case of regional and local roads, the amount for each Dublin Council has remained unchanged since 2015 and is as follows.
|
Dublin City Council |
€5,780,600 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
€2,886,859 |
|
Fingal |
€3,497,531 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
€3,914,446 |
Aside from the requirement to apply these specified amounts for road maintenance, as the statutory road authorities, decisions on the allocation of funding to regional and local roads is a matter for the Councils.
As regards the regional and local road grant funding provided before 2015, details of grant allocations and payments to local authorities are outlined in the Regional and Local Road Allocations and Payment Booklets which are available in the Oireachtas Library.
The National Transport Authority (NTA), as part of its overall Active Travel Infrastructure Programme, receives funding, including an allocation of €38 million in 2023, for the protection and renewal of active travel assets including cycle lanes which can be located on urban roads and streets. Give the NTA’s role in the allocation of this funding to local authorities, I am referring the Deputy’s question to that agency for further detail on the specific allocations to the four Dublin local authorities.
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. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. In this context, TII is best placed to advise you. I have, therefore, referred your question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
