Over €290m has been allocated by the government to maintain local and regional roads in Ireland.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD, said the €294m will allow approximately 2,000km of regional and local roads to be maintained and strengthened this year.

He said: "Ensuring the upkeep and maintenance of our road network is essential in facilitating our future economic growth and development and securing job creation.

"If people are prevented from going about their daily business or from getting to and from work in a timely fashion our economic activity will suffer. This allocation of €294 million will allow restoration and improvement works to be carried out and a number of new construction projects to be carried out.

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"The priority is to maintain the existing road network, and I have been able to protect funding for the key road maintenance and strengthening programmes for the local authorities, which continue to receive funding."

The investment programme includes:

• €145m for maintenance, improvement and strengthening works

• €41m for surface dressing

• €62.5m for maintenance and strengthening works for which local authorities have discretion in the selection of roads

• €17m for Specific and Strategic Regional and Local Roads Projects

• €7.7m for bridge rehabilitation works

• €5.8m for Low Cost Safety Improvement Works

• €4.2m for urban block grant

• €11m of miscellaneous grants including, bridge inspections, training, map road and road safety measures.

(CD/JP)