asked the Minister for the Environment the number of road deaths on the national primary roads N-4, N-6 between Galway and Dublin since 1 January 1982; and the action he is taking to improve a number of locations on this road where several fatal accidents have occurred in recent years.
Written Answers. - Road Deaths.
597.
Provisional figures available from An Foras Forbartha indicate that, during 1982, there were 15 fatal road accidents on the Dublin-Galway road (N-4 and N-6) which resulted in 17 deaths. Details for 1983 are not yet available.
As regards the second part of the question, the improvement of national roads is being undertaken by road authorities with 100 per cent State grants in accordance with the broad strategy laid down in the Road Development Plan for the eighties. As well as providing for major works — new roads, bridges, by-passes and major realignments — all of which have considerable safety implications, the plan provides for a programme of "normal" improvements on a year by year basis aimed at, inter alia, the elimination of high accident locations.
The question of executing major works and improvement works is primarily a matter for road authorities. Regarding the Dublin-Galway road, grant allocations to the road authorities concerned for both major works and normal improvements totalled £11.6 million during the period 1979-1982. The corresponding allocations for 1983 total £7.3 million.