Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding of the national roads programme element of Transport 21. The implementation of individual road projects is, in the case of national roads, a matter for the NRA in conjunction with the relevant road authorities and, in the case of regional and local roads, a matter for local authorities directly.

The Department of Transport and the NRA have worked closely with local authorities and the Local Government Management Services Board to develop comprehensive new guidelines for the control and management of road works sites, for use within the local government sector. The guidelines, which represent best practice, issued to local authorities in 2007 under cover of a circular letter from my Department.

Other specific measures undertaken by my Department in recent years to improve the safety of roads include augmentation of the powers of local authorities to impose special lower speed limits at road works sites; publication of a revised and updated edition of chapter 8 of the road signs manual covering temporary traffic measures and signs at road works, and the deployment of signage and temporary traffic measures at such locations; and regular updating of technical advice to local authorities regarding the correct use of surfacing materials for undertaking road pavement improvement works.

In 2009, I have provided an allocation of approximately €1.44 billion to the NRA for the national roads programme, out of which the NRA allocates funding for specific road safety measures including pavement renewal, bridge and winter maintenance, and gritting, all of which have a direct impact on the safety of roads. The NRA's overall budget of €1.44 billion in 2009, as in previous years, is being invested in the provision of a modern road network.

From 2003 to date, almost €3.8 billion in State funding has been provided to local authorities for regional and local roads. More than €24 million has been provided for specific road safety measures, through the Department's low cost safety grant scheme. The 2009 allocation for regional and local roads is €607.5 million, which includes a sum of €8.651 million allocated to 316 schemes through the low cost safety grant scheme. Safety is a fundamental consideration in the provision and maintenance of our road network and this high level of investment is delivering a significant road safety dividend.

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