The classification of roads as either a national road or a regional road is the responsibility of the Minister under section 10 of the Roads Act, 1993, as amended. A public road, other than one classified by the Minister as a national road or a regional road, is a local road.
The 1993 legislation also provides that where a public road which has been classified as a national or regional road has been realigned or bypassed the section of the pre-existing road which remains following the realignment or bypass becomes a local road unless reclassified by the Minister.
Roads classified as National Primary or National Secondary are funded by the State and construction, improvement and maintenance works are overseen by TII, in conjunction with the relevant local authority, and funded mainly from voted monies. Roads classified as Regional or Local roads fall under the responsibility of local authorities. The construction, repair and maintenance of these roads is funded by local authorities’ own resources supplemented by State grants.
Requests to classify a road as a national road or regional road are considered, in consultation with TII as appropriate. Criteria for consideration are numerous and include items such as function of road including access to towns and Cities, ports and airports, geographical regions, population centres and tourist regions. It also includes considerations of continuity of classification throughout the length of road, whether roads are feeder connections or links to the National road network, cross section, alignment and structural integrity as well as amount of heavy commercial vehicles.
In the period 2015 to 2020, requests have been received in relation to the reclassification of the following roads as national roads:
County Council's
|
Road Number
|
Road Details
|
Cork County Council
|
R586
|
Bandon to Bantry Road
|
Cork County Council
|
R624
|
Cobh Road
|
Cork County Council
|
R630
|
Midleton to Whitegate Road
|
Donegal County Council
|
R232
|
Laghey to Pettigo
|
Donegal County Council
|
R238
|
Buncrana Fire Station to to Junction with N13 Bridgend
|
Donegal County Council
|
R240
|
Cardonagh to Muff
|
Donegal County Council
|
R241
|
Greencastle Ferry Terminal to Moville and then to Muff
|
Donegal County Council
|
R263
|
Shore Road to Roundabout on Fintragh Road
|
Longford County Council
|
L1176
|
Flancare Link Road
|
Louth county council
|
Old N52
|
Re-classification of old N52
|
No decision has been taken to reclassify any of these roads as a national road to date. Further consideration may be given to the issue as part of a future general review of road classifications.
An extension to the N19 in the vicinity of Shannon Airport was classified as a national primary route in 2016.