Liam Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the huge number of people who are excluded from using the motorways here due to the lack of service stops; his plans to provide such facilities on all motorways here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9654/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of service stops on or near motorways and national roads is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, under section 54 of the Roads Act 1993.

I recently asked the NRA, which has responsibility in the area, to review its policy on the placement of service and rest areas on the major inter-urban routes. The authority has undertaken a detailed review and has produced a policy statement. The statement envisages the provision, where feasible, of service areas at regular intervals of approximately 50 km to 60 km along both motorways and high quality dual carriageways. The strategy for the provision of service areas will entail a combination of facilities located on-line and at or close to interchanges along motorway-high quality dual carriageway routes.

In the case of all future motorway and dual carriageway projects, consideration will be given in the proposed scheme design to the inclusion, where appropriate, of suitable sites for the development of service areas as part of the overall road scheme.