Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 April 2026
173. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department will authorise release of emergency funding to Wicklow and Wexford local authorities to address the cost of repairing significant damage to the roads network impacted during storm Chandra, which has been quantified and applied for to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30631/26]
View answerMy Department has liaised with those local authorities affected by Storm Chandra on damage caused and remediation needed and is now looking at means to address it.
For 2026, €718 million was allocated, through State road grants, for the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, with approximately 90% of this funding allocated to road maintenance and renewal. This will facilitate an increase in funding allocation of €26 million this year for road protection and renewal works.
All funding available through the 2026 Regional and Local Road Grant Programme was allocated to local authorities in February this year. It should be noted that Exchequer funding for regional and local roads is intended to supplement realistic contributions from local authorities’ own resources. Further, local authorities are advised to set aside a contingency, from Department allocations and their own resources, for severe weather events.
Wexford County Council was allocated a total of €23,317,100. Of this, €22,747,100 was for the protection and renewal of regional and local roads. This was an increase from the initial 2025 allocation of €21,958,850 for protection and renewal grants.
Wicklow County Council was allocated a total of €14,908,200 for the protection and renewal of regional and local roads. This was an increase from the initial 2025 allocation of €14,602,800 for protection and renewal grants.
In accordance with Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993, as amended, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority. Work on such roads is funded from Councils' own resources, supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of work to be funded is a matter for local authorities.
