Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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224. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to list the most dangerous roads in the country based on road deaths, serious injuries and road traffic accidents; the measures he is taking to mitigate the risks and improve safety on these roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35507/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has a statutory remit to report on fatal, serious and minor injury collisions on public roads. The RSA receives both coronial data and collision data from An Garda Síochána for this purpose and produces official statistics to help develop evidence-based road safety interventions.

Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the RSA for direct, detailed reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.

Network Safety Analysis is conducted annually on the Regional and Local Road Network using collision data provided by the Road Safety Authority (RSA). This process identifies high-risk road safety areas across the Regional and Local Road network, referred to as Locations of Interest (LOIs). Local authorities are engaged to review and implement appropriate remedial measures at these sites.

Each year, local authorities are invited to apply for funding from my Department to support engineering improvements at these LOI sites, supplementing their own resources. This investment is targeted by utilising collision statistics and the Networks Safety Analysis. In addition to these Locations of Interest (LOI) sites, local authorities also submit applications for safety schemes based on local knowledge and engineering expertise.

Approximately €13m will be invested in Low-Cost Safety Improvement Works in 2025. Additional road safety schemes are also funded through the specific and strategic grant programme.

In respect of National Roads, as Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the Infrastructure Guidelines and the necessary statutory approvals.

TII periodically carries out a collision analysis of the entire national road network, as required by the TII Standard: “Network Safety Analysis”, as well as pro-active safety inspections as required by the TII Standard: “Road Safety Inspection”. The purpose of this combined process is to identify both locations that have high concentrations of collisions and/or potential collisions. It does not, however, include the subsequent process to devise proposals to identify road safety interventions, which is the responsibility of the relevant local authority, as the road authority for their area in the first instance.

As such, TII would be best placed to advise you in respect of the measures being taken to mitigate risks and improve safety on national roads.

Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.