Local authorities are to receive a 19 per cent increase in grants for non-national roads this year, but may have to become more cost-efficient in return for future road improvement grants, the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, has warned.
Each local authority will be asked for an annual report on how "efficiency issues" have been addressed, the Minister said in Galway yesterday. This report must take into account the recommendations made by consultants last year as part of the Government's Strategic Management Initiative (SMI) on the issue.
A record £237 million is to be provided this year for non-national roads, an increase of almost 19 per cent on last year's initial allocations, the Minister said. This represents central grant expenditure of over £2,626 for every kilometre of non-national road in the State, he added.
Over £138 million is to be spent under the restoration programme for regional and local roads, compared to £118 million last year. County councils will receive over £210 million for non-national roads. Urban authorities will receive £13.9 million by way of discretionary or block grants. Local authorities will get £51 million under various EU co-financed schemes. Maintenance grants to county councils under the restoration programme will increase by 36 per cent to £31.7 million, while discretionary maintenance grants will rise by almost 32 per cent.
The Minister has earmarked over £4 million for work on secondary roads to facilitate housing developments. This should release 1,200 acres for housing, with a potential for over 9,000 houses, he added.
Restoration of carriageways and footpaths will receive a high priority, the Minister said. He has directed that £4.2 million of the discretionary or block grants to urban authorities be spent on repairs to footpaths.
Under EU grants, the Interreg II (Border and Maritime) programme will amount to nearly £6 million this year. These grants will fund improvements for economic development and cross-Border links to national and European transport networks. They will also improve access to certain ports.
