Trevor Sargent
Question:157 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment the regulations governing road signs; and if there are any regulations which state that the Irish must be smaller than the English on road signs.
Written Answers. - Road Signs.
The Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations, 1962 to 1992, made under section 95 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, provide the statutory basis for the design, content, specification and use of road traffic signs.
The regulations provide that place names on information signs must be shown in both Irish and English, except in Gaeltacht areas, where they must be in Irish only. All legends used for words in Irish must be presented in italics.
In addition to regulatory requirements, my Department has issued specifications and guidance documents to road authorities on various aspects of traffic signs, particularly technical aspects, with a view to securing a uniform approach by all authorities. A specification for the construction of traffic signs, issued by my Department in 1986, provides that Irish words and place names should be in a lower case lettering with initial letters in capitals, whilst the English versions of place names should be entirely in upper case letters, capitals. Local authorities were advised in 1989 that all Irish script should be inclined to the right at an angle of 15 degrees to the vertical.
The approach to the format of traffic signs containing words in Irish was finalised following detailed discussions with An Grúpa Stiúrtha, the group charged with promoting the use of Irish in local authority services.
A comprehensive study of road signage requirements is currently in progress and this will include a review of the provisions relating to the use of Irish on signs.