Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Transport the steps he is taking to reduce speed limits within the vicinity of schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21850/06]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Transport his plans to provide funding to local authorities for speed limit signage within the vicinity of schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21851/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 110 together.

A new speed limit policy framework is provided in the Road Traffic Act 2004 that gives greater flexibility to city councils and county councils in the application of special speed limits in lieu of a default speed limit.

It is a matter for each council to assess the position in relation to the speed limits that apply on public roads in the vicinity of schools in their area and, where appropriate, to apply a special speed limit or a special periodic speed limit. In addition to putting a new legal framework in place that is operative since 20 January 2005, I issued guidelines in April 2005 on the application of special speed limits including guidance regarding the deployment of periodic speed limits in the vicinity of schools.

The review of speed limits and the application of special speed limits at any location is a matter for the local councils. I have no role in relation to the determination of what speed limit should apply in the vicinity of any individual school premises.

The funding for the provision of traffic signs, including speed limit signs, is a matter for the National Roads Authority in the case of national roads and individual road authorities in the case of non-national roads. Exchequer funding was given to road authorities to support the provision of over 59,000 new metric speed limit signs by 20 January 2005. The 2005 metrication changeover funding was a once-off measure and I have no proposals to provide direct funding for any other traffic signs.

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 112: To ask the Minister for Transport the principle engineering measures that are being pursued to reduce road deaths and injuries in view of the fact that a road safety strategy requires education, engineering and enforcement measures to prove successful. [21888/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The major investment in the upgrade of the national roads network (almost €1.5 billion in 2006) is delivering major road safety dividends, for example in that motorways and dual carriageways almost eliminate the possibility of head-on collisions.

Safety is of paramount importance in the design of national roads as new roads, constructed to best practice standards, help to reduce road accidents and fatalities.

All works that involve a permanent change to the existing layout of a national road require a road safety audit. Road safety audit involves the evaluation of new road schemes during design and construction to identify potential hazards that may affect road users; and to agree the appropriate measures to eliminate or mitigate any such hazards. The National Roads Authority incorporated road safety audits into the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges which became the design standard for national roads in 2001.