Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I will explain again to the House that the legal position since 1970 has been that road directional signs in the Gaeltacht are in Irish only. The Placenames Order that I made in respect of Gaeltacht placenames in December last and which came into effect on 28 March 2005 does not alter that position. Therefore, I am not introducing Irish-only road signs in Gaeltacht areas.

I understand that some costs will arise for local authorities in altering a relatively small number of existing signs located outside the Gaeltacht. The provision of road traffic signs on non-national roads and the funding of such signs is a matter for individual local authorities from within existing allocations and no expenditure over and above those existing allocations is involved.

My Department consulted the public bodies primarily affected by this order, Ordnance Survey Ireland and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. I am advised that no significant additional costs arise for Ordnance Survey Ireland.

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