478 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 59 of 9 December 2010, the position regarding the €6m investment in dry storage facilities for de-icing salt; the location and form of these facilities; if he will make a full disclosure of the State’s existing dry storage salt facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48293/10]

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The allocation of funding for the construction, improvement and maintenance of the national roads network, including salt storage facilities, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under Section 19 of the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

479 Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Transport his plans to make additional funding available to the local authority in County Clare to repair road surfaces damaged during the recent bad weather; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1112/11]

The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities own resources and are supplemented by State road grants paid by my Department.

The amount of money provided in the 2011 Estimates for funding regional and local roads is €374.576 million and this year's allocation will be based on that amount.

I intend to announce the 2011 regional and local road grant allocations shortly.