Legislation

The European Communities (Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment) Regulations 2011, as amended, apply to the transport of dangerous goods by road in tanks, in bulk and in packages. Carriage by road includes the consignment and related packing, loading, filling and unloading of the dangerous goods in relation to their carriage. The regulations apply the provisions contained in the technical annexes to the "Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road" (ADR).

The Regulations and the ADR place duties on the various participants associated with the transport by road of dangerous goods. They contain requirements for vehicles, tanks, tank containers, receptacles and packages containing dangerous goods during transport. The regulations require that the drivers, and others involved in the transport of the dangerous goods by road, are adequately trained.

The Regulations also contain provisions relating to the EU harmonised approach to road checks (Checks Directive (EU) 2022/1999) and they give effect to the Transportable Pressure Equipment Directive (TPED).

The principal regulations, which were made under the European Communities Act 1972, were drawn up in 2011:

• European Communities (Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 349 of 2011)

These regulations have been amended 11 times since 2011. 

Each of the statutory instruments amending the principal regulations are listed in Table 1 below. 

Administrative consolidation of the Regulations

An administrative consolidation of the regulations from 2011 to 2025 has been drawn up to consolidate the principal regulations with the 11 sets of amending regulations published between 2011 to 2025. 

• Consolidated version of the European Communities (Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment) Regulations 2011 to 2025

This consolidated version of the regulations has been prepared by the Health and Safety Authority for ease of reference only and is not a legal document. 

Table 1.

List of regulations for the carriage of dangerous goods by road and use of transportable pressure equipment 2011 - 2025

Download the Legislation

Full legislation is available on IrishStatuteBook.ie, the website of the Office of the Attorney General. Note the year and number of the relevant Act or S.I. before clicking on the link.

ADR Competent Authorities

• Road Safety Authority (RSA) for technical examination of vehicles and issuing of certificates of approval
• National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) for the testing of receptacles and tanks
• Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) for accreditation of inspection bodies
• Minister for Justice and Equality for all matters relating to the carriage by road of explosives of ADR Class 1
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for all matters relating to the carriage by road of radioactive materials of ADR Class 7
• National Roads Authority (NRA), or 'Transport Infrastructure Ireland', for matters relating to the classification of tunnels as required
• Health and Safety Authority (HSA) for all other functions required to be performed by a competent authority under the Regulations and the ADR.