Dáil debates

Tuesday, 17 February 2009

3:00 pm

Photo of Shane McEnteeShane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on new guidelines for road works inspection; if he is satisfied that inspection of roads for safety purposes is adequate; his Department's role in providing the budget for road safety improvement measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6023/09]

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Photo of Shane McEnteeShane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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In the past 12 or 15 months we have gone from the bottom of the list to near the top in terms of road safety and this has been achieved by the expenditure of a significant amount of money. Is the Minister happy that road safety measures implemented by local authorities are being complied with in a proper fashion? Is the Minister of the opinion that the Road Safety Authority should work in conjunction with the local authorities and with the road safety officer who must be appointed in every county by the end of September? Road accidents, road deaths, damage to cars and injuries to people cost a total of €1.3 billion in 2007. The money given to the Department of Transport by the Department of Finance was money very well spent in supporting road safety. However, it is not a success story. Both the Minister and I know we could do a lot better and be number one in Europe, if not in the world, if we continue to spend money on road safety and if we work together as a team. However, Deputies on all sides of the House are concerned because the quality of the country's roads is rapidly deteriorating. I ask the Minister to consider the possibility of the Road Safety Authority and the road safety officers, who must be appointed by every council by the end of the year, working with the county councils.

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with the Deputy that local authorities have a very important and key role to play in road safety issues generally. I refer to the example in our own constituency where a former Garda with a lot of experience was appointed as a specific road safety officer and this has proved to be very successful in reducing road deaths and accidents. All the local authorities are focused on this issue. From the engineering point of view every local authority road project is designed with improved safety in mind. The increased effort by the Garda Síochána and the significant improvements in the roads has contributed to the 30% decrease in the level of road deaths in the past ten years.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I will allow a brief supplementary question from Deputy McEntee.

Photo of Shane McEnteeShane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Will the same amount of finance be provided to the Road Safety Authority for the next 12 months as it was for the past 12 months or will there be a cut in the finance needed to support the Road Safety Authority in its initiatives to reduce deaths on the roads? Has the Minister's allocation been cut?

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I will defer to my colleague on the total amount. Apart from the reduction, a special grant of €20 million was given last year to reduce driving test waiting times to ten weeks and a target of eight weeks was achieved. Most of that grant went to that project. This amount could not be repeated this year and we did not need to repeat it. Apart from that, the budget of the Road Safety Authority is similar to last year so this particular area will not be affected.