Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 March 2015
601. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason there are so few tourism signs for County Carlow attractions on the M9 motorway; and if his officials will engage with Carlow Tourism Board to agree a suitable and appropriate number of signs to adequately promote the key sites in the county. [10400/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads, is a matter for the National Roads Authority under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
The NRA has an established strategy regarding the provision of signage on national roads for major tourist and leisure attractions and facilities, as set out in their document "Policy on the Provision of Tourist & Leisure Signage on National Roads". Signage in accordance with this policy is erected as an aid to safe and efficient navigation, rather than as a means of advertising or promoting any particular business or premises.
The Authority's national road signage schemes are implemented following extensive consultation involving the Authority, the local authorities concerned and Fáilte Ireland. In this regard, it should be noted that Fáilte Ireland has a number of requirements which must be satisfied before they will recommend a particular tourist destination for signage off the national road network. These include adequate provision for parking, consideration of the facilities available at the venue and so forth.
