Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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207. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason stop signs which are positioned at the side of roads and printed onto the road itself, in Gaeltacht areas in County Donegal are written in English and not in the Irish language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42997/24]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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All traffic signs on public roads must be provided in accordance with the Traffic Signs Manual, which constitutes a Ministerial Direction to road authorities under section 95(16) of the Road Traffic Act 1961. This direction is given to road authorities for the provision and use of traffic signs.

Road signs such as STOP are internationally recognised and it is important for road safety that all traffic, including international traffic, understands regulatory signage and road markings as displayed, so as to adequately inform drivers of potential hazards ahead. The use of the Irish language on regulatory road signs in Gaeltacht areas is prescribed in Chapter 1 of the Manual. Section 1.1.52 denotes that STOP is an internationally recognised word that does not need translation.