Vol. 416 No. 6
319 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for the Environment if there are any procedures in relation to road openings carried out by semi-State companies; and if there are any proposals to co-ordinate these to minimise disruption and/or to introduce fines for delays in completing such works.
Statutory undertakers such as ESB, Telecom Eireann and Bord Gais Éireann have statutory powers to open public roads without a licence from the local authority. However, section 101D of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 (as inserted by the Dublin Transport Authority (Dissolution) Act, 1987) enables prescribed local authorities to issue directions to statutory undertakers and others for the purposes of co-ordinating road openings and minimising traffic disruption. In September, 1988 regulations were made prescribing Dublin Corporation, Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire Corporation as authorities which could exercise these directive powers and my Department has recently written to all other local authorities asking if any of them wish to be so prescribed. It is an offence to contravene a direction under section 101D, with fines of up to £1,000 on summary conviction or £50,000 on conviction on indictment.
Arrangements are also in place in Dublin to ensure the advance notification of planned works to enable them to be co-ordinated as far as possible.
