Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 10 Oct 2002

Vol. 555 No. 1

Written Answers. - Road Safety.

Bernard Allen

Question:

321 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of accident black spots throughout the country which have received specific attention by way of allocation of funding or otherwise by his Department in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17718/02]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

379 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the steps he has taken or proposes to take with a view to eliminating the various accident black spots that exist throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17855/02]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 379 together.

The 2000 non-national road grant allocations included provision for the first time of funding to enable low cost safety improvement works on non-national roads to be carried out by local authorities.

In 2000 and 2001 expenditure of €2,637,864 enabled low cost safety improvement works to be carried out at more than 200 locations on non-national roads. Some €2,541,973 was allocated under this grant category in 2002 and it is expected that by the end of this year improvements will be carried out at a further 152 locations.

My Department has already sought applications for safety improvement works under the 2003 programme from local authorities. Allocations to local authorities under this and all other non-national road grant categories for 2003 will be announced early in 2003.