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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 21 Mar 1929

Vol. 28 No. 13

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Bridges in Saorstát.

asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether the Roads Department have made any survey of the bridges on the roads of the Saorstát; whether it is known how many of them require constructional improvement in order to make them safe for heavy motor traffic; and, if so, whether local authorities have been informed of the results of this survey, and whether the necessary action by local authorities has been taken in the matter of reconstructing or improving such bridges; further, whether local authorities have taken any steps to compel the railway companies to improve and maintain bridges crossing a railway line; and whether the Roads Department have any programme of work of this kind for the present year.

Inquiries of the nature indicated by the Deputy were initiated in December, 1926, in so far as concerned railway bridges carrying main roads over railways and it appeared that at least 37 such bridges were subject to restrictions as to the weight of vehicles passing over them. Full particulars as regards each county were already in possession of the County Surveyor, but local authorities have no power to compel railway companies to improve bridges crossing a railway line. The companies are usually bound to maintain such bridges. The question of improvement rests primarily with the local authorities and would probably be one for negotiation between them and the railway companies. In the case of non-railway bridges the responsibility rests solely with the local authority where such bridges form part of a public road. There has been no general demand for a programme of the nature indicated by the Deputy in the concluding part of his question and it is not proposed in the coming year to frame such a programme.

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