Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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227. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the R312 in County Mayo; the funding that has been draw down by Mayo County Council in relation to same; and if a commitment will be given for the inclusion of additional resources for regional roads in the forthcoming review of the NDP. [43222/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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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, where applicable. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.

Mayo County Council received an allocation of €850,000 this year under the Specific Improvement Grant Programme to progress the road re-alignment and bridge replacement scheme at Glenisland on the R312. My Department understands that construction of the scheme is approaching completion. To date in 2021, Mayo Council has drawn down €634,469 for this project.

As regards further projects on the R312, any projects proposed by local authorities for consideration under the Specific/Strategic Grant Programmes are assessed by the Department on a case-by-case basis. All projects put forward by local authorities for consideration must comply with the requirements of the Public Spending Code and the Department's Capital Appraisal Framework (CAF). Given the limited funding available for road improvement works it is important for local authorities to prioritise projects within their overall area of responsibility with these requirements in mind. Any projects put forward for consideration are assessed taking competing projects and available budgets into account.

My Department has not received any further applications from Mayo County Council for additional specific improvements works on the R312.