Minister John Halligan confirmed the allocation saying it will facilitate key safety and maintenance works.

Fergus Galvin, Director of Roads with Waterford Council says he welcomes the delivery of €14m to carry out improvement works and repairs on Waterford roads.

“It represents an almost 17% increase over the grant allocation we got from the department this time last year,” he says, “from that point of year it’s very positive.”

In a statement the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, announced details of a €483 million investment programme for 2019 for regional and local roads.

Minister Ross said: “Today’s announcement will see a further significant increase in grant funding for regional and local roads. Overall funding will increase by about 16% this year.” This increase in funding should allow approximately 2,400kms of regional and local roads to be maintained and 2,150kms to be strengthened this year.”

The Minister continued; “Building better roads can change lives, but investing in safer roads will save lives. The campaign to change attitudes to drink driving, speeding, phone use and seatbelt wearing must be accompanied by Government delivering major funding for quality road investment if our roads are to be safer for all, and I am glad to say we are doing that.

The Minister indicated that his main priority remains investment in the maintenance and renewal of the regional and local road network. The Minister said: “Last year specific funding was ring-fenced for drainage works to help promote increased network resilience. This grant has been very well received by local authorities and the amount available for drainage works will double this year to €20 million. In addition funds are being set aside to assist with the purchase of velocity patching machines to further support local authorities’ road repair programmes.”

There will also be significant expenditure of €65 million on road improvements projects. As in previous years a significant number of these projects have a safety focus, including the R194 Dunancorry Bridge widening in County Cavan, Derrartha Road in County Galway, the R556 Dale Road in County Kerry, Robeen Cross junction improvement in County Mayo, the R155 Curragha, and the R284 Gleann in County Sligo.

The Minister also confirmed that €15 million is being allocated to Community Involvement Schemes as part of the two year programme started in 2018.