Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has plans to produce a safety audit of roads here to be carried out by the Road Safety Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3875/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I have stated previously in the House that I do not want to distract the Road Safety Authority from the important work it has in hand by directing it to produce safety audits of roads. I am satisfied with the role being played by the authority, as well as by local authorities and council engineering staff, in highlighting and improving roads where safety is an issue. Over the past five years, €2.583 billion has been allocated to local authorities by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and €7.175 billion to the National Roads Authority for national roads. As safety is a fundamental consideration in the provision and maintenance of our road network, this high level of investment is delivering a significant road safety dividend. In addition, more than €60 million has been spent on national roads and more than €17 million on non-national roads in implementing specific road safety measures over the past five years.

Among the specific measures undertaken to improve the safety of roads, my Department has augmented the powers of local authorities to impose special lower speed limits at road works sites; published 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; regularly updated technical advice to local authorities as regards the correct use of surfacing materials when undertaking road pavement improvement works; and produced comprehensive new guidelines for the control and management of road works sites by local authorities.

These guidelines were developed under the aegis of the Local Government Management Services Board, LGMSB, with the assistance of my Department and the NRA. I am satisfied these new guidelines for control and management of road works sites represent best practice and they should address the main concerns which have been expressed by the Health and Safety Authority. Accordingly, my Department and the NRA have issued the new guidelines by way of circular letters to the local authorities for implementation with immediate effect.

Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I am 100% committed to road safety. Last weekend the terrible carnage on our roads was trying and I was tempted to issue a statement but it might have been picked up as being opportunistic. The Chairman of the RSA and the Minister referred to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the failure to acknowledge a letter. That was confirmed for me this morning. While I am glad Gay Byrne may address that issue, I would like to deal with the quality of our roads. It is nice to be able to confirm that the targets set out in June for driving licences are being met. I am delighted more for those involved on the ground than for ourselves or Department officials. I am aware that billions of euro have been spent but in the past three months our roads have turned into a nightmare. The campaign against drink driving is beginning to work but many of the accidents occur during the day. I sent an e-mail to all Fine Gael's Deputies to solicit their views on what might help to push the Government into prioritising the condition of our roads. I do not accept the proposal to reduce accidents by an average of 21 per month.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Deputy should ask a question.

Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I merely want to make my point. I may be slow at times.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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A question, please.

Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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It will come to a question at the end of the day.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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It should come speedily to a question. This is Question Time.

Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Is the Minister satisfied that our roads are in good condition? He is aware that what happened last night on the road to Trim in County Meath was the greatest embarrassment that could be experienced by any official. No Minister could be satisfied with the way our money is being spent on roads, which are a disgrace the length and breadth of the country. That is why we have to pick blackspots through our new road safety officer. How can the Minister say he is satisfied? We will experience failure by the end of the year. Eight people have been killed already this year, which is three more than the number last January. When I was first elected three years ago, I asked that an independent audit be carried out on all our roads but only 3% are audited by the NRA. Does the Minister agree it is time to transfer responsibility for roads from county managers to an independent person in each county so that young people can be safer?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Part of the road safety strategy is based on pursuing a number of different issues, with education, enforcement and engineering comprising three legs of a four-leg strategy. This concept includes improving roads and ensuring new roads are constructed to the safest possible standard. Specific moneys are available to deal with blackspots on existing non-national roads in each county. Our roads are far from perfect, however.

As Minister for the Environment in 1995, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle instituted the roads restoration programme, which everybody thought would be the bees knees.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I thought it a progressive move.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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It was very progressive and all the moneys he promised were spent over the past decade. We are now into the second stage of the programme but difficulties remain on our roads. Regardless of what happens in the next ten or 20 years, we will always have difficulties on our roads. That is not to say we should be defeatist because we should target the funding. Local authorities have significant discretion on their non-national road allocations and we expect them to deal with the most dangerous spots.