Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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64. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding any road safety initiatives or campaigns targeted specifically at people that drive for work; if he is concerned regarding the number of crashes and fatalities on Irish roads involving this cohort of people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17773/26]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I am informed by the RSA that provisional data it has compiled for 2018-2024 indicates that 28% of fatal collisions and 19% of serious injury collisions involved at least one driver who was driving for work during that period. In the fatal collisions, there were 293 fatalities, of which 41 (14%) were drivers who were driving for work. This is clearly an area of road safety that we must take seriously if we are to achieve our road safety targets.

The actions included in the Phase 2 Action Plan of the current ten-year Government Road Safety Strategy are defined across seven priority intervention areas, including 'Safe work-related road use'. Activities under this pillar involve the planned, systematic safety management of work journeys on the roads, aiming to reduce the risk of death and serious injuries. Primary Action 11 within the Action Plan aims to implement a multi-agency intervention programme on safe work related road use, including education, evidence, engagement, and enforcement activities.

In addition, under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the promotion of road safety, including awareness campaigns and education. The Deputy may wish to note that the RSA will again ringfence €18m for investment in road safety public interest work in 2026, maintaining the significant 2025 level of investment in this important area.

In that regard, I am informed by the RSA that it has developed a new radio campaign targeting professional drivers. This new campaign will include reminders to plan rest stops as part of a journey, as self-reporting by drivers has shown that driver fatigue is an issue for this cohort. The campaign is due to air later this year. The RSA also developed a radio-led campaign last November which aired in December and January. This was supported by digital and out of home content. This campaign focused on highlighting the increased risk of a collision or injury when using the roads between 4-8pm when there is an increase in interactions between road users. The campaign was targeted at all road users including those who drive for work.

In terms of education, the RSA host driving for work seminars each year. In November 2025, the RSA, along with the Health and Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána, hosted a Driving for Work seminar targeting employers that have Heavy Commercial Vehicles. The next seminar will take place on Wednesday 20 May and will target employers whose fleet include Light Commercial Vehicles.

The RSA also provide a specific website for the driving for work cohort of road users which is available at the following link: www.drivingforwork.ie . This website provides resources to assist in developing and implementing a Driving for Work policy, shares case studies from businesses that are leading the way in this area, along with other guidance documents. Recordings of previous events and the presentations are also available to view on that website.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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65. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the national policy regarding protected cycling and pedestrian infrastructure; the way in which this is communicated to local authorities and reviewed thereafter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17775/26]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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66. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the national policy regarding protected cycling and pedestrian infrastructure; the way in which this is communicated to Transport Infrastructure Ireland and reviewed thereafter and; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17776/26]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 66 together.

There is a comprehensive suite of national policy documentation relating to cycling and pedestrian infrastructure which provide for a comprehensive national standard for planning, designing, and delivering safe, consistent, high quality cycling infrastructure across the country. Specific documents include the Cycle Design Manual, Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS) and the Rural Cycleway Design (Offline and Greenways) Manual.

Examples of areas covered within these documents include infrastructure interventions such as protected junctions, Dutch style cycle-friendly roundabouts, and parallel crossings which are commonly used in other countries and will now become an option for cycle infrastructure in Ireland. Other topics covered include surface finishes, lighting provision and drainage arrangements appropriate to the specific environment. These documents ensure consistency in the advice and requirements regarding the technical acceptance and design of structures for use in protected cycling and walking infrastructure. These documents are subject to regular review by the appropriate agency i.e., the National Transport Authority (NTA) or Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). The latest version of the guidance should be accessible through the relevant agency website.

In the event of any revisions to standards documentation, I have been advised that notification will be provided by the NTA and TII to the County and City Management Association (CCMA) – the representative body for local government. This may be complemented by seminars aimed at local authority officials in relation to the specific changes contained within the document.

Apart from standards documentation regarding protected cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, national policy documents setting out the planned development of infrastructure include the National Cycle Network, CycleConnects (due to be published in 2026) and the Greater Dublin Area Cycling Plan. These documents set out the planned future network and include proposals for cycling links in key cities, towns and villages in each county as well as between population centres. These strategic plans also incorporate existing and planned cycle routes such as greenways and blueways, the overall objective of these plans is to provide for a safe, accessible and convenient network for active travel users.