Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I will speak for one minute remaining. The transfer of responsibility for non-national roads to the Department of Transport has received little attention. I suppose the reason is that the Minister could not trust the Green Party.

The vast majority of local authorities have not implemented the road safety speed limits. I ask the Minister to put the boot into them to ensure these limits are introduced, particularly in the vicinity of schools. I also ask him to publish the report on the proposed orbital route and consider extending the proposed route from the N9 to the N11. With the Gorey bypass opening today, he must ensure the N11 in County Wicklow is completed. In the past ten years no major works have been carried out on the N81. I ask the Minister to ensure the NDP and Transport 21 proposals for the route are implemented.

On obtaining value for money from local contractors, will the Minister examine the tendency to repeatedly fill potholes?

On a final point, Deputy Bannon referred to signage. My understanding is that the regulations do not permit the signage of towns off major routes but only permit signage referring to the end of the route. Therefore, signage indicating hospitals and so on cannot be included. This should be reconsidered.

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