Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Again, this amendment was presented on Committee Stage. As I indicated then, the National Roads Authority, NRA, already has a statutory duty to secure the provision of a safe, as well as an efficient, network of national roads.

Regulations introduced in 2011, following from the EU directive on road infrastructure safety management, have greatly strengthened the powers of the NRA in respect of road safety matters. These regulations allow the NRA to issue guidelines on road safety matters, and where necessary, to issue a binding direction to a road authority, namely the local authority. The 2011 regulations also deal with the carrying out of road safety impact assessments, road safety audits, road safety auditors, safety ranking of the road network, safety inspections and repairs and road works on the network. The NRA applies the high standards set out in the directive not just to the trans-European road network but also to all national roads.

In addition to this, the Department is developing a computerised online map of all roads. When it is fully up and running, we will be able to map all speed limits, as well as road works, maintenance and repairs. It will be an asset management system like one would see with a gas or energy network.

The road safety strategy, adopted by the Government last year, provides for a unit to be established in the Department to investigate significant road traffic collisions, similar to the air accident investigation unit and the Marine Casualty Investigation Board, MCIB.

The amendment is not necessary, given that the matter raised is covered by the 2011 regulations.