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The Government has allocated €411m in grants for regional
and local roads for 2010, which includes repairs following
damage caused by the recent extreme weather.
It includes €240m for rehabilitation and maintenance
of road pavements with local authorities having complete discretion
in the selection of roads, €60m for surface dressing,
€26.5m for urban authorities for rehabilitation and maintenance
of road pavements - urban authorities have complete discretion
in the selection of roads - and €62.2m for specific projects
(including bridges).
Speaking about the investment programme, Transport Minister,
Noel Dempsey TD said - "This year's allocation of over €411
million will bring the total Exchequer investment since 1997
for the restoration and upgrading of regional and local roads
by way of grants to over €6 billion.
"In deciding on allocations for 2010, my priority is
to protect that investment in the roads network and to carefully
target resources to address, on a priority basis, the most
urgently required repairs resulting from the extensive damage
caused by the recent severe weather. The cost for repairing
damage caused by severe weather events is estimated by County
Councils as €180m.
"I have also simplified the grants structure and given
more flexibility to local authorities to direct funding to
the priorities mentioned above."
The Minister added - "These grants, which supplement expenditure
by local authorities from their own resources, represent a
very significant investment at a time when public finances
are under severe pressure. In order to increase the monies
available for the maintenance and rehabilitation of road pavements,
it has been necessary to reduce the grant allocations for
major new road schemes and for major realignment schemes.
"This year, the planned rehabilitation works on regional
and local roads is being deferred and greater flexibility
is being given to local authorities to deal with the urgent
repair of damage to the regional and local road network arising
from the recent flooding and prolonged severely cold weather.
A total of €188.8 million is being provided under this
special improvement grant in 2010."
To download Allocations for regional and local roads
- Click
Here
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