Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
129. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Transport the progress of the Abnormal Load Working Group, in particular consideration being given by the working group to the current regulations which set the maximum authorised weights and dimensions for mechanically propelled vehicles and trailers on public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15495/26]
View answerThe transport of Abnormal Loads is an area of increasing complexity as the size and weight of loads being carried on our roads increases due to the need to meet housing demand, infrastructure development and increasing energy requirements.
In accordance with the provisions of S.I. No. 5/2003 - Road Traffic (Construction and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 2003, each individual Local Authority (LA) has responsibility for the issuing of Abnormal Load Permits in their administrative area. S.I. No. 5/2003 sets the maximum authorised weights and dimensions for mechanically propelled vehicles and trailers on public roads, anything above these weights and dimensions requires an Abnormal Load Permit.
There are currently no proposed regulatory changes to these limits and restrictions are based on an assessment of each particular road networks ability to safely accommodate any proposed individual abnormal load in terms of weight (bridges, culverts, embankments, and road bearing capacity), height (bridge underpasses, tunnels, etc), and width (road width, bridge width, turning requirements at junctions).
An Abnormal Load Working Group has been established with the primary objective to move the current application processes, which is individual for each Local Authority to a single digital application and payment point for Road Hauliers. Membership of this group includes representatives from the Local Authority Sector, Department of Transport, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, An Garda Síochána, and the Road Management Office.
The single application and payment point is currently being developed through the MyCoCo digital solution platform which is a collaboration between Local Authorities and supported by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA). This initiative arose from the national “Connecting Government 2030” program, which aims for 90 per cent of public services to be delivered online by 2030, and has been noted as a building block of reform in the “Better Public Services - Public Service Transformation 2030 Strategy”.
The Working Group is developing the website and payment system based on data collected from Local Authorities regarding their existing processes and fee structures and if successful the group will then make recommendations for implementation to the City and County Managers Association (CCMA) through the relevant LGMA Committee.
The majority of work being carried out in this area is looking to introduce efficiencies and clarity to the Abnormal Load application process and there are currently no proposals to amend existing Abnormal Load weight parameters set out in S.I. No. 5/2003 - Road Traffic (Construction and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 2003.
