Below is a reply by the Transport Minister to the most recent Parliamentary Question I tabled in Dáil Éireann regarding the need to increase funding for the non-national road network.  A substantial increase is needed to deal with deteriorating road conditions in many parts of both counties. 

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For Oral Answer on : 06/11/2018
Question Number(s): 99 Question Reference(s): 45648/18
Department: Transport, Tourism and Sport
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
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QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he will ensure that substantial additional funding is provided to Cavan and Monaghan county councils for the 2019 non-national roadworks programme in view of the deterioration of the road network in many parts of both counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of local authorities, 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 local authority.

It is a matter for each Council to determine its priorities and decide its work programme taking available grant funding and its own resources into account. I always stress to Councils the importance of prioritising roads when allocating their own resources.

Grant allocations for 2019 will be decided once the 2019 Estimates process is concluded. Within the budget available to the Department, the approach taken is to allocate funding on as fair and equitable basis as possible. In this context, grants in the main grant categories are allocated based on the total length of the regional and local road network within the area of responsibility of the relevant local authority.