Here are the road projects to benefit from the €324m in Govt grants this year

"While the funding in 2017 will largely continue to support the maintenance of our current regional road network I am also pleased to announce funding for a small number of larger road improvement projects."

The Minister added that the priority in 2017 continues to be the maintenance of the existing road network.

He said: "I am delighted that the allocations to local authorities will see an increase of about 9% in 2017. This increase has the potential to allow an additional 210kms of road to be strengthened in 2017.

"The overall funding package will allow approximately 1980kms of regional and local roads to be maintained and 2035kms to be strengthened this year."

Here are the road projects to be started under the investment programme:

· Bettystown to Laytown Link Road in County Meath

· Dingle Relief Road (Phase 4) in County Kerry

· Sallins by-Pass/Osberstown Interchange

· Shannon Crossing in Killaloe, County Clare

· Athy Southern Distributor Road in County Kildare

· Portlaoise Southern Relief Road

· Eastern Garavogue Bridge in Sligo

· Grange Castle Business Park Roads in County Dublin

There will also be a number of road improvements around the proposed Center Parc development in Longford.

Other road improvement projects to support industry in the funding are:

· Sallins Bypass / Osberstown interchange (Kerry Group)

· Grange Castle roads (IDA)

· Western Distributor Road, Sligo (IDA)

· Tralee to Fenit Road (IDA)

Urban regeneration projects:

· Coonagh to Knockalisheen (Moyross) in Limerick

· Eastern Garavogue Bridge in Sligo

Other improvement projects that have received an allocation in 2017:

· Road improvement schemes in County Longford

· Tallow Link Road in County Waterford

· The rehabilitation of a number of critically deficient bridges on regional roads around the country including:

- Latoon Creek Bridge in County Clare

- Curraheen Bridge in Cork City

- Cockhill Bridge in County Donegal

- Thomond Bridge in Limerick City

- Ardfinnan Bridge in County Tipperary”

There is also funding for 219 bridge rehabilitation schemes and 185 safety improvement projects to improve safety at locations where collisions have taken place.

These include:

· €165m for road pavement strengthening works;

· €41m for surface dressing;

· €69.5m for maintenance and strengthening works for which Local Authorities have discretion in the selection of roads;

· €26.6m for Specific and Strategic Regional and Local Roads Projects;

· €9m for bridge rehabilitation works;

· €6.1m for Safety Improvement Works;

· €7m of miscellaneous grants including, training, speed limit funding, salt purchase, road surveys and a programme to tackle the spread of Japanese Knotweed.