Bernard Allen
Ceist:175 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he is satisfied with the quality of the reinstatement of streets, roads and footpaths when licensed contractors have completed their work. [17539/02]
Written Answers. - Road Safety.
Ensuring the quality of work carried out on streets, roads and foot paths by licensed contractors is primarily a matter for road authorities.
General guidance on the need for an efficient and expeditious approach to the carrying out of works, whether by road authorities or other statutory undertakers, is also set out in my Department's memorandum on grants for non-national roads.
In addition, my Department also issued guidelines for the opening, backfilling and reinstatement of trenches in public roads, to local authorities on 1 May 2002. These guidelines set out a summary of the legal framework relating to powers of road authorities, various statutory bodies and private individuals in opening or forming trenches in public roads in Ireland. The guidelines prescribe standards in respect of the work of forming trenches, backfilling and the reinstatement of road surfaces and the associated materials which should be used. Furthermore, suggested formats of application forms for, and computerised records of, such works are set out.