COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, July 12, 2010

QUESTION NO.16

QUESTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

To ask the Manager to report on discussions with the National Roads Authority regarding our request for supplementary funding for the purposes of implementing grass cutting along the verges and medians of national primary roads including the required stringent health & safety arrangements; and further to question no. 7 at the July 2009 council meeting (some 12 months ago) to provide a further update on efforts to secure the necessary training and approved health and safety accreditation for council staff so that they can carry-out both the grass-cutting and the required health & safety arrangements?

REPLY:

A letter has been sent to the National Roads Authority requesting extra funding for National Primary Maintenance to include grass cutting and a reply is awaited.

Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual issued by the Department of Transport, details the requirements for staff working on Mobile Lane Closures on Motorways and Dual Carriageways. It requires that all operatives involved must receive suitable training to the appropriate standard. The developement of an Irish training standard for working on high speed roads is being undertaken at present by the FAS / FETAC and the LGMSB in conjunction with the UK Awards body LANTRA. It is expected that the Irish standard will be in place in the near future and that a number of Irish training companies will be acredited to provide the courses and  necessary supervision.