354. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport the evidence base underpinning his position that current bilingual signage is fit for-purpose; if any assessment has been carried out of alternative bilingual models here or abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54909/26]

Article 3 of the Official Languages Act 2003 (Section 9) Regulations 2008 informs that traffic signs are not subject to the duty on public bodies concerning the use of official languages.

The Traffic signs manual, made in accordance with Section 95 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, as amended, outlines the rules concerning traffic signs.

Traffic signs must be clear, concise, and consistent to ensure their messages are quickly and easily understood by road users. These fundamental principles directly impact road safety, as they help prevent collisions and facilitate smooth traffic flow.

‘Safe roads and roadsides’ are one of the specific areas of intervention in the Safe Systems approach set out in the Government’s Road Safety Strategy 2021 to 2030 ‘Our Journey Towards Vision Zero’. As road traffic sign installations have the potential to pose roadside hazards, minimising their size is critical to achieving safe and 'forgiving' roadsides.

Bilingual road traffic signs present unique challenges for both designers and road users across the globe. In Ireland, the design and provision of bilingual road traffic signs is governed by the Traffic Signs Manual which is published by the Department of Transport.

The current system of bilingual road signs in Ireland is well-established, having been developed over many years, and is considered safe and fit for purpose.

The key items which must be considered when looking at bilingual signage include:

• Clarity and Consistency: Road traffic signs must be clear, concise and consistent to ensure quick comprehension, which is crucial for road safety.

• Safe Roadsides: Minimising the size of road traffic sign installations is vital to reduce roadside hazards, aligning with the Safe Systems approach in the Government’s Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030.

• International Comparison: There is no universal standard for bilingual traffic signs. Ireland's approach is effective and compares favourably with other countries.

• Current Effectiveness: The existing method of displaying bilingual text on road traffic signs in Ireland has proven effective over five decades, striking a balance between language differentiation, cognitive load and space efficiency.

• Public Feedback: Ireland's road signs are well understood by the public and visitors with no record of clarity issues surrounding bilingual aspects.

• Risks from Changing: Altering the current approach could negatively impact legibility and road safety and introduce unintended consequences.

• Colour Complexity: Adding colours to differentiate languages could complicate signs, particularly for colourblind users, and dilute the current system's clarity and meaning.

• Official Languages Act : It was determined that Road Signs are exempt from the Official Languages Act due to their primary concern of clarity and road safety.

• It should be noted that the Irish text appears in italic letters at a 15% slant to distinguish the languages and ensures that the necessary message is clear.

• Irish place names are typically 40% longer, and if Irish is placed in capitals, it would result in much wider signs and may add significant additional safety concerns.

• It should be noted that the text of both languages has the same text height to ensure consistency of the message being imparted. The Irish text is positioned above, reflecting its priority in the Constitution.

• Cost and Implementation: Changing the current approach would be costly (estimated between €0.47b to €0.67b) and could disrupt the network over a long transition period, and in doing so presents significant potential road safety risks and contravene circular economy policies.