Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 114: To ask the Minister for Transport if the promised safety barriers along the middle of the M50 have been fitted; if these barriers will be permanently in place along the motorway; if they are a temporary measure; his plans to fit such safety barriers on other major roads throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4783/05]

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Transport if a decision has been made on the retrofit of crash barriers on the M50, before the completion of its upgrade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4739/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 122 together.

The provision of median barriers on national roads is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, having regard to best practice in road safety and EU standards for safety barriers of this type.

The position generally in regard to the provision of median barriers on national roads is that: median barriers are currently being provided on all new motorways and dual carriageways irrespective of the median width; and median barriers are being retrofitted on all existing inter-urban motorways and dual carriageways irrespective of median width. This work is expected to be completed by mid-2005 with the exception of the M50.

In the specific case of the M50, the NRA had originally intended to provide median barriers in the context of the upgrade project which is due to get under way, subject to An Bord Pleanála approval, on a phased basis in late 2005 for phase 1 and in 2006 for phase 2.

However, in light of a tragic crossover accident on the M50 in late 2004, in which a young woman lost her life, the NRA reviewed the position in relation to the M50 and have now decided to proceed with the erection of crash barriers on the M50 with the aim of having the work substantially complete or underway on all sections of the motorway by the end of 2005. This approach will achieve the permanent installation of crash barriers on the motorway at a significantly earlier date than was previously anticipated.