Teresa Costello (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for being here today. Over the past few years and during my time as a councillor, there have been many changes to the roads in my area. It led me to ask the Minister to undertake a comprehensive review of the design manual for urban roads and streets, commonly known as DMURS. I appreciate the principles behind DMURS are good ones. We all want safer roads, lower vehicle speeds, where appropriate, better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, and communities that are more accessible and more sustainable. However, while the policy objectives are commendable, there is increasing concern that the implementation of DMURS in some locations has gone too far and is creating unintended consequences.

These concerns are being raised repeatedly by residents in my area. For example, in Tallaght, Firhouse and Ballyroan, people are telling me that the road and junction narrowing has led to increased congestion, longer journey times and frustration on the part of motorists, while also making it more difficult for buses, delivery vehicles and larger vehicles to navigate safely. They are not isolated complaints. They are concerns that are being expressed consistently by people in my area. On Firhouse Road West, residents have raised concerns during the delivery of active travel measures that the narrowing of junctions creates delays and operational difficulties. The response they got was that the design complied with DMURS, the national guidance, and that the narrowing was intended to reduce speeding without affecting capacity. Independent road safety audits were also carried out. I looked at one particular junction where cars were constantly overshooting white lines. It was very confusing and difficult for motorists.

The proposed removal of village car parking under DMURS creates significant challenges. We have just gone through a Part 8 public consultation process in Tallaght where the Tallaght village on-street car parking is being removed. Many villages have limited on-street car parking already and public transport is not really up to scratch to facilitate people's needs. People rely on convenient parking to support local businesses, residents, older people and visitors. Reducing parking without providing practical alternatives risks harming accessibility, weakens village centres and places unnecessary pressure on local economies.

While I acknowledge the council's position, many local people's lived experience has been different from what has been said about DMURS. We are seeing queues building up at peak times, greater difficulty accessing side roads and a road network that is becoming less efficient for everyone who depends on it. The issue is not whether we should provide safe infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists; we should. It is not about reversing active travel investment. It is about ensuring that road design is proportionate, flexible and responsive to the needs of each community.

At the moment projects are continuing to be rolled out in Tallaght. It is important that we evaluate what is working well and where adjustments are needed. The time has come for a review of DMURS. We need to examine whether excessive road narrowing is contributing to congestion, the impact on emergency services, buses and commercial traffic, whether local authorities have sufficient flexibility to adapt designs to local conditions and whether post-construction views should become standard practice so that schemes can be amended where genuine problems arise.

I reiterate that the removal of car parking is causing huge difficulty. People are frustrated and annoyed. I am seeing what I would say is a waste of money in some locations. Footpaths have been changed and there are potholes in roads. Something needs to be changed.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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I thank Senator Costello for raising this matter. The Government is committed to preserving our existing roads network. This is demonstrated through the Department of Transport's provision of regular grant funding to eligible local authorities.

By statute, local authorities are responsible for the maintenance and improvement of the regional and local roads present in their respective areas of responsibility. Any work undertaken on these roads is funded by the resources of the local authority concerned and, where eligible, this is supplemented by the Department of Transport's regional and local roads grant programme. The initial selection and prioritisation of work to be funded is a matter for local authorities. Our regional and local roads play a critical role in supporting economic activity and community links. As a result, the regional and local roads grant programme is primarily targeted at the maintenance and renewal of our existing roads network, with the remainder invested in new road projects, the rehabilitation of bridges, climate adaptation and safety improvements. The funds available through this programme have been steadily increasing in recent years. In 2026, €718 million was made available, which will facilitate an increase of €26 million for road protection and renewal throughout Ireland.

I come to the core of the issue the Senator raised. The design manual for urban roads and streets, DMURS, was jointly prepared by the Department of Transport and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in 2013. It places well-designed streets at the centre of our communities by supporting broader environmental, planning and transport objectives. It promotes highly connected, attractive and safe streets that encourage walking and cycling, support vibrant communities, and use design measures to calm traffic and create a safer, more people-focused environment.

DMURS is a living document and is updated as required. A review of it was undertaken in May 2019, with many chapters amended. In addition to this review, six advice notes have been prepared on various aspects, such as transition zones, materials and specifications, geometric design and quality audits. The most recent advice notes on urban drainage and junction tightening were prepared in 2023. This year, work commenced on a review of all minimum standards, guidelines and regulations that apply to the public transport network where it interacts with the built environment, including DMURS, as part of the national human rights strategy for disabled people.

The Department of Transport has prepared a programme for the review of DMURS - which is what the Senator is talking about - alongside other standards and guidelines that apply to the public transport network where it interacts with associated built environment with regard to accessibility. The first meeting took place in March 2026 and included members of disabled persons' organisations. The Department is in the process of assembling an expert group to co-ordinate and lead the review.

The current programme assumes the publication of a strategic report with recommendations in quarter 2 of 2027. This date is subject to the progress of the review process. Following approval of the national human rights strategy for disabled people review, action 71 of the Sustainable Mobility Policy Action Plan 2026-2030 commits to the review of DMURS by 2030.From this, it is evident that the DMURS is not a static manual, but is continually updated and informed by road users, interested groups and experts.

Teresa Costello (Fianna Fail)
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I am a road user. My constituents who are road users do not feel it is being informed by them. There is frustration in the community. There is congestion, roads are being narrowed and buses passing each other are clipping their mirrors. The DMURS is not up to scratch. Money is being wasted unnecessarily. If disability groups are being included, I recommend that somebody who is blind is included as well. I say this because I did a walk around Tallaght with a blind man and the navigation of the roads was not up to scratch.

People are being forced out of their cars with all of this. That is what it feels like, and we are not there yet with transport. We are talking about banning e-scooters, but we do not have the alternatives. We have to respect people’s lived experience, their lives and how they navigate them comfortably and not leave them frustrated and angry over changes I feel are unnecessary a lot of time.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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When the Senator speaks, I know she is reflecting the views of the people she represents and what she hears. The objective of the DMURS is to have well-designed streets accessible to all forms of road users. Furthermore, there is a growing appreciation that our streets are not just spaces designed to facilitate the movement of traffic, but spaces where people should want to live and to spend time. I hear what the Senator is saying about blind people. I will certainly convey the Senator's point to the Minister in this regard to make sure they are included in any ongoing consultation or negotiations.

It is important to say, however, that the DMURS is a living document and there is always the opportunity to respond to changes in transport options, in priorities and in new technologies. Significant funding has been provided by the Department for our regional and local roads each year. This does not mean that I am not hearing what the Senator is saying. I will bring her concerns back to the Minister because sometimes concerns are national, sometimes they are regional and sometimes they are local. Regardless of where they come from, however, they have to be dealt with. I will bring this issue back to the Minister.