Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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129. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the proposed changes of speed signage for rural roads from a specific speed limit to drive carefully; and his plans for a much clearer speed limit and on-road signage on all national and local roads and streets in 2015. [4290/15]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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I am supportive of the comments made by other Deputies on the issue of metro. I also made a strong submission to the Deputy's consultation in that respect.

We have had a disastrous start to the year as regards road safety. The numbers of deaths on the road are slightly down at this stage but it was a disastrous beginning. There is concern among road safety activists, some of whom both of us would know, that proposals are being made to remove specific speed limit signs and to replace them with slow or drive carefully signs. Does the Minister have a concern about that? I presume the speed limits working group works on this area, but there is concern that we are regressing rather than making progress in this regard.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I note that there were several extraordinarily tragic incidents on the roads at the start of the year. Of course, any loss of life is tragic, but our hearts go out to everyone involved in the incidents that occurred. While there has been a slight decrease versus where we were one year ago, I derive little satisfaction from this, given the number of people who have lost their lives.

Arising from the 2004 Road Traffic Act, local authorities are obliged to place 80 km/h speed limit signs on some minor local roads and boreens off a road with a higher speed limit. Where the roads are too minor to be assessed by the local authority, a default speed limit of 80 km/h is specified in the Act. This has led to widespread deployment of 80 km/h signs on some roads that are decidedly narrow tracks and on which it is not possible to drive at the speed limit posted.

The report of the speed limits review group was completed in November 2013, with a two-year timeframe to implement its recommendations. My Department continues to work with the NRA, local authorities, the Garda and the Road Safety Authority on their implementation. Much background work has been undertaken to develop new regulations, guidelines and standards. There is no proposal to substitute the current speed limit signs on rural roads with signs stating "Drive carefully".

The report examined several options for improved signage on regional and local roads. Specifically in the case of narrow country roads, the report recommended that the numerical 80 km/h sign be replaced with a generic sign not displaying a numeral. While the limit would remain at 80 km/h, the recommended new sign would have a black circle with a diagonal line. Such signs are in use internationally and were used in this country prior to 2005. This sign means that drivers must use their judgment when using the road in question but must not exceed the limit of 80 km/h. The limits should not be interpreted as a target or suggestion that it is safe to drive up to the limit or the numeral displayed. I emphasise that I will be keeping this policy under constant review to ensure the goal of having safer roads is achieved.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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One could argue that the level of casualties in recent years suggests making that type of change and leaving too much to the driver's discretion is the wrong way forward. Perhaps a scenario where people specifically know the speed limit on a road is the right way to go. People live on minor rural roads and their safety as pedestrians is also of paramount importance. Is this something the Minister could review?

I understand there is or used to be a road signage handbook in the Department. Will it be updated as part of the work of the speed limits working group? I understand the Vienna Convention on road signs and signage dates back to the 1960s. The Minister has said we act in accordance with international norms and so on, but is it the case that we have not actually signed up to the convention? Is this something he could do during his tenure?

I know that the Minister was making announcements on the A5 road project which, obviously, constituents in County Donegal will warmly welcome. Is it the case that the figure of €25 million to which he referred is for 2017, with a further €25 million to be allocated in 2016? Will there be a specific amount of money set aside in that pot for road safety measures?

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Minister to reply, please. I will come back to the Deputy. In fairness, two other Deputies have questions to ask.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy asked a number of questions. I will come back to him on two of them as I am not in position to answer them now. He asked me a specific question about the Vienna Convention. I will come back to him on the matter within the next week.

I expect that the signage book would be updated, but I will confirm that and will reply to the Deputy on it. Regarding the A5, there is a commitment for €25 million for 2016 and for 2017 to make a contribution to costs that could arise in regard to that period.

With regard to the Deputy's final question, whether I plan to set aside a specific amount of money for road safety, the Road Safety Authority, though it is on its way to being self-funding regarding the revenue it makes, makes a direct contribution to that area. If he is referring to capital spending and whether I intend to set aside a specific amount there, much of the funding we have allocated on the capital side is deployed with the aim of making our roads safer, so much of it does meet the need to which he refers. However, I am considering having a specific amount of money set aside within my Department to target a particular area of road safety. That is something I am actively examining at the moment.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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I want to raise the issue of home zones, in the urban situation, where speed limits would be painted on the road specifically and when one goes off the main road that it would become a specific zone, perhaps set at 25 km/h, where there would be children, seniors, people walking, and so on.

Is the Swedish road safety strategy, Vision Zero, something the Minister could give some thought to? It posits that in an ideal situation there would be no deaths on the roads. Google is talking about driverless cars, which we will supposedly have in a few years. Perhaps that will change the dynamic, but until then we need very strong road safety.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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That is a matter for Google in terms of how such vehicles are to be planned. I am actively considering the home zone proposal for a different, lower speed limit within residential areas. I am considering whether a designated amount could be set aside to look specifically at the issue of speed limits in residential communities, because it is a point of which I am aware.

I will have to investigate Vision Zero for the Deputy in regard to the other two points. We have the appropriate targets in place at the moment, in terms of the ambition, which is a challenging one, to implement our current road safety strategy. So that there is no misunderstanding regarding the written answer I will give the Deputy, I did not get the chance to say to him earlier regarding the point he made about signage that some of these signs are now being delivered to local authorities that have requested them. The crucial issue for me is that the kind of road on which they are used must be specific, namely narrow minor roads within rural areas. I will keep this under careful review as I am doing this with the sole objective of making that kind of road safer for people who live on it and for those who use it to go about their daily business.