€100m Road Fund To Save Lives

Labour T.D., Sean Kenny has welcomed news that the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, is to make €100 million available for the upgrading of roads across the country.

"As a member of the Dail's Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport, I am delighted to hear this news. The spending of this fund will be driven by common sense, and rather than trying to tackle expensive large projects, it will instead prioritise maintaining roads and improving road safety across Ireland.


"Hundreds of small-scale projects will start this year involving new road surfaces, minor safety works and improved signage. Some €18 million has been allocated to small-scale safety schemes, with another €18 million allocated for remedial works on bridges. This funding will also be used to remove bottlenecks and tackle congestion problems, which will no doubt come as great news to commuters.

"This work will be conducted under the NRA's Work Programme for 2012 and is set to support work levels equivalent to around 1,200 jobs.

"I am pleased that even during these difficult economic times, the NRA will be able to carry out important local improvements. As recent as this weekend, we have seen the number of our road fatalities grow. By improving safety at major black-spots around the country, lives could be saved."

(CD/GK)