498. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when it was decided to downgrade the N4 at Palmerstown, Dublin 20, to regional road status from national road status, by way of statutory instrument. [16716/15]

Section 10 of the Roads Act 1993 as amended by the Roads Act 2007 provides for the classification of national, regional and local roads.

As part of the 2012 roads classification review, all national roads within the M50 were re-classified to regional road status to reflect their changed role in the overall road network. Among other things, part of the old National Route 4 between its junction with O'Connell Bridge and its junction with the M50 at Palmerstown Upper was classified as a regional road. The Roads Act 1993 (Classification of Regional Roads) Order 2012 (S.I. No. 54 of 2012) refers.