Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 June 2026
30. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Transport the number and value of road safety improvement projects approved for County Kildare under specific road improvement and safety funding programmes in each of the past five years; the locations concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44237/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2026, Kildare County Council was initially allocated a total of €20,014,300. Of this, €19,444,300 was allocated for the protection and renewal of Kildare's regional and local roads.
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.
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 and the remainder directed towards new roads, bridges, and road realignments. This total allocation will facilitate an increase in funding of €26 million this year for road protection and renewal work.
Kildare has had no projects under the Specific Grant (which provides for capital projects that fall outside other funding programmes and are assessed on a case by case basis) in the past five years.
Please see table below for the breakdown of Safety Improvement Works grant allocations to Kildare County Council and number of projects undertaken each year from 2022 - 2026.
|
|
No. of Projects |
Allocation |
|
2022 |
14 |
€292,000 |
|
2023 |
12 |
€309,000 |
|
2024 |
12 |
€320,000 |
|
2025 |
16 |
€385,000 |
|
2026 |
17 |
€413,500 |
As regards the total funding allocated to and drawn down by Kildare County Council by grant type for the past five years, full details of the 2026 allocations are available at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-transport/press-releases/ministers-for-transport-announce-over-15-billion-for-national-regional-and-local-roads/
Details of the Regional and Local Roads Grant Programme, specifically the allocations and payments to local authorities for the past five years are available in the regional and local road allocations and payments booklets on the Oireachtas Online Public Access Catalogue: http://opac.oireachtas.ie. The 2026 allocations booklet will be lodged shortly.
