Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) will be asked to designate a road leading to the country’s biggest energy hub as a national primary route and carry out traffic calming measures on it to protect residents from a major increase in the number of vehicles using it.

The firm behind the Limerick Tunnel, which is backed by guaranteed payments from the Government, has posted a pre-tax loss of €6.4m.

The Road Safety Authority is questioning a decision by Transport Infrastructure Ireland to raise the speed limit on a dangerous stretch of road close to a national school.

A review into road maintenance being published today shows that less than one in four defects on the country's busiest routes are being fixed.