Cullen to allocate record €500m funding for non-national roads

Record funding of about €500 millionfor non-national roads is to be announced by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, in Co Leitrim this morning.

The money brings spending on secondary or "county" and local roads to more than €2 billion since 2000.

Mr Cullen announced last November that "the fly-over has replaced the pothole as the symbol of Irish roads". This year's record allocation is being seen as a necessary push to bring outstanding areas into line.

The Minister has also appointed consultants to assess, county by county, the areas of non-national roads requiring remedial works.

In this respect the location of this morning's announcement in the Border, midlands and western region is expected to be significant.

The study, only the second such survey to be carried out since the foundation of the State, is not expected to be completed until mid-year. However, its recommendations will influence where much of today's allocation is to be spent.

Part of a 10-year programme for the restoration of non-national roads, the money also covers a regional signposts initiative, designed to counteract the image of generally poor road signage across the State.

According to the Minister, the State has invested almost €1.5 billion since 1997 in the restoration of non-national roads, a move which he has described as "the most ambitious programme of road development anywhere in Europe".

In addition to the State allocation of €433 million in 2003, Mr Cullen announced additional funding for roads in his Waterford constituency, of €680,000, last August.

At the same time the Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Pat the Cope Gallagher, announced additional funding for roads in his home county of Donegal, of €684,000. The allocation in 2002 was higher again, at €435 million.

Schemes which benefited in 2003 included the Lusk bypass in Co Dublin; the Naas ring road in Co Kildare; the R402 Enfield-Edenderry road; the Castletroy distributor roads in Co Limerick; the Trim, Co Meath, to Dublin improvement scheme; the south Dublin outer ring road; and Tramore ring road in Co Waterford