Road Projects

122. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport to rebalance the overall funding for roads in Laois (details supplied). [67753/26]

I am interested in the proportion of funding given for active travel versus the proportion given for rural and local roads. I am in favour of funding active travel but the specifications being given to councils are completely off the wall and are making it more expensive to deliver infrastructure projects of short duration. I have raised this issue previously and the officials have come back with standard answers. This matter needs to be looked at by the Minister or a Minister of State.

I thank the Deputy for his question, which concerns an issue he has been raising on an ongoing basis. 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. For 2026, €718 million was allocated through the regional and local roads grant programme for the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, with approximately 90% of the funding allocated to road maintenance and renewal. This facilitated an increased funding allocation of €26 million this year for road protection and renewal works. That represents an increase of over 25% in funding compared with 2021. Under the 2026 regional and local roads grant programme, Laois County Council was allocated more than €15 million for the maintenance and improvement of its regional and local roads, which is an increase of nearly €1 million compared with 2025. That funding will support the local authority in carrying out an extensive 2026 programme of maintenance and restoration. In addition, it will support various climate adaptation projects, bridge rehabilitation schemes and safety improvement works. Within the budget available for the maintenance of regional and local roads, the objective is to allocate funding to eligible local authorities on as equitable a basis as possible, taking the length of the road network into account. The main focus of the grants continues to be the protection and renewal of roads. In addition to keeping the regional and local roads network in good repair, targeted improvements are also prioritised. All projects put forward must comply with the requirements of the infrastructure guidelines and my Department's appraisal framework. Each project is assessed on a case-by-case basis, keeping available resources in mind. The 2026 allocation to Laois County Council includes funding of €500,000 for specific improvement grant schemes. Furthermore, on 1 July, I announced additional funding of €40 million to address the damage to roads as a result of Storm Chandra. The funding to Laois County Council under this additional package was €1 million.

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. He is correct regarding the allocation to the council but my point is that €3.5 million was given for active travel. I do not have a problem with that allocation; the problem is how it is being spent. He mentioned the departmental guidelines, which is where the issue arises. The specifications and stipulations set out in those guidelines are completely off the wall. To give one example, I was calling for action from the council on Triogue Way 25 or 26 years ago. One section of footpath was put in there across Millview car park. It has worked out to be the most expensive car park in the world because of those specifications. The footpath part alone, which is 74 m in length, cost €105,000. Other work was done as well, with the whole project coming in at more than €400,000. That is crazy money. The amount of concrete that went in underneath it would support a section of motorway. An articulated truck could be driven down it. It is over 13 ft wide in places. That is absolutely ridiculous. It is happening because the Department is telling the council it must be done a certain way. Concrete was being poured for months, with a private contractor crew working on it for four months. Meanwhile, overseers and engineers cannot fund even drainage works or basic repairs to rural roads. That needs to be looked at again.

I understand the Deputy's frustration. I am sure he will agree that the funding allocation for Laois County Council for local and regional roads is good enough. His frustration seems to be in relation to the €3.5 million allocated to active travel projects. He is of the view that the works are perhaps being over-specified and the standards are too strict. I will take his points back to the Department. When doing this kind of work, we must ensure public money is spent in such a way that we deliver the best outcomes and get as much bang for our buck as possible. I will communicate the Deputy's important feedback to the Department. I do not think anybody is engaged in over-designing. There might be reasons that it looks that way, such as underground structures or whatever. I cannot comment on that. It is just a matter of ensuring we get value for whatever public money is spent. The local authorities want to do that.

On the overall funding, if the Minister of State has more millions of euro, he should send them down to Laois, because they are needed. The cost of repairing roads has been increasing by 15% per annum. I do not have a problem with the €3.5 million for active travel; if he has another €3.5 million, I would welcome it. The problem is the specifications and what we are getting for the money. That is the point I am making. Does a footpath really need to be 13 ft wide? Ten-wheeler wagons were drawing in concrete at Triogue Way. I know all this because I park in the car park beside it and I saw what was going on every day. The amount of concrete that has gone into it would support a section of motorway, never mind a footpath and cycleway. The good footpath that was already there had to be ripped out because of the Department's specifications. A row of bollards could have been put alongside it in the car park, a perfectly good cycleway could have been installed and the car park resurfaced. Everything would have been fine and dandy. What is being done is absolutely ridiculous. We need a sense of proportion and we need to be practical. The Minister of State is a practical kind of person. He must speak to officials in the Department about this. We need to get bang for our buck. That is the point I am making. Allowing rural roads to deteriorate to the point they need substantial works will mean spending more money in the longer term. An area office is needed to get work done.

I reiterate that any funding we allocate should be spent wisely and in such a way that we get as much out of it as possible for the benefit of the taxpayer. I do not believe anybody is wasting money. It may be that the specifications and design standards need to be looked at, which is something I will take back to the Department. We must get as much done as we can with the money we have. As the Deputy rightly said, costs are increasing. We must be more prudent and agile in how we spend it. I will convey his comments to the officials.