Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)

I am grateful to have the opportunity to discuss this important matter on the Adjournment. All Deputies are aware of Ireland's horrific number of road deaths, which take place on a daily basis. This country's road accident figures are high by European standards. The annual number of road fatalities is unacceptably high. We need to ensure that the number decreases. We have been cautioned to slow down, not to speed and not to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. I would like to discuss road conditions, a factor other than driver error that plays an important part in many road accidents. We are under-estimating the important part played by road conditions in the causation of road accidents.

I had the unfortunate experience of attending at a fatal road traffic accident at Murrevaugh, just outside Mulranny, on 22 December last. A young girl aged 22 was killed during daylight hours on a stretch of road which has been the site of a number of accidents in recent times, according to people who live in the area. I understand that a young man I treated that day wrote off his car on the same stretch of road just before the fatal accident to which I refer took place. I understand that since then, a further young man has had a similar accident on the stretch of road.

I do not want to prejudice the result of an ongoing investigation into the fatal accident that took place on 22 December. I offer my profound sympathy to the parents and the rest of the family of the deceased girl. Her father, who has a significant knowledge of roads because he works full-time in the road construction industry, has questioned the quality of the surface of the road at the location where the accident took place. He maintains that the road's surface of dense bitumen macadam, DBM, base course, the laying down of which was completed on 4 October 2004, is not suitable for the speed limit of 100 km/h that was in place when the accident took place at the relevant stretch of road, which is outside the 50 km/h zone.

When I contacted the National Roads Authority about this matter, I was informed that the surface of the road in question should have had a permanent surface dressing, but that had not been applied. The NRA's manual HD 36/99, which outlines the surfacing material to be used on roads and bridges, recommends that DBM wearing course without surface dressing should not be permitted as a permanent surface on high-speed roads. It goes on to state that DBM base course should be surface dressed within three weeks, or as soon as practicable.

The NRA guidelines state that a DBM road that has not been surface dressed should be subject to speed restrictions of 50 km/h and signs should be erected indicating clearly that the road surface is temporary. I have written to Mayo County Council to suggest that 50 km/h speed limit signs be erected at Murrevaugh, in line with the recommendations of the NRA, but that has not yet been done. It is to be welcomed that other types of sign can be seen, but signs stating that it is a 50 km/h zone and that the road surface is temporary need to be put in place.

Two lorries were recently involved in separate accidents on a stretch of road in County Galway known as the Curragh line. I understand the road surface, which is in a 100 km/h zone, is DBM without a surface dressing. A 50 km/h speed limit has been imposed in the area and signs stating that the road surface is temporary have been erected.

I was not previously aware of this problem. I am anxious that the Minister for Transport should examine all cases of this nature and investigate the problems associated with this type of road surface. He should ensure that the guidelines and recommendations of the NRA are followed in the interests of driver safety. How many other roads have a surface that is not in line with the recommendations of the NRA, which is the funding body for roads projects? I do not want to say who is at fault but it is important to note that road conditions continue to play a more significant part in road traffic accidents than we realise. We can do something about it. We have had too many road traffic accidents and they have led to unnecessary loss of life. It is time that they were prevented.

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