Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is correct. I begin my contribution by doing what many other Deputies have done this evening, acknowledging everything the Jake's Legacy campaign has done, the amazing energy, commitment and bravery it has brought to bear on a very important issue. I have met Roseann and her family on five separate occasions. It was one of the first groups I met after my appointment as Minister and I am in awe of the fact that the tragedy that family went through has been a catalyst for a campaign, as opposed to just a cause for deep sorrow and reflection. It has been an honour for me to meet them. In my efforts as Minister, I have done my best to respond to the campaign and to see how best we can respond to the challenge it has carefully laid down to this Chamber, both within the law that is available to me and through possible changes to the law.

One feature of road safety debate and policy to date has been the desire of all Deputies to maintain this as a policy area that is above party politics, an area on which we can unite. While this does not in any way preclude difference and should never preclude debate, to date this policy area has been characterised by recognition that all politicians, of any party and of none, are doing their best to make our roads and our communities safer. While there may well be disagreement on this Bill and its consequences, we are all united by a desire to make our roads safer. As a legislator, as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, and as someone with a young family, I am keenly aware of the need to make all our roads safe and I am very much aware of the challenge that exists within residential communities, within housing estates and on residential roads.

This debate takes place against the backdrop of a reduction in the last ten years of the number of fatalities on our roads, a drop from 376 lives lost on our roads to 162. That is still far too many lives. A variety of factors have contributed to this improvement, including new and more realistic speed limits, the implementation of better maintenance standards through NCTs, and tougher laws on drink-driving and mandatory alcohol-testing. Since 2002, we have also seen the introduction of a new penalty points system, which, despite difficulties, has made a difference, has been a deterrent and has played an educational role in making our roads safer. The creation of the Road Safety Authority has also made a big difference. It is an independent body that delivers joined-up thinking across a range of areas, from vehicle standards to driver training and testing to road safety legislation.

As Deputy Colreavy outlined, road safety is fundamentally a matter of attitude and awareness of the responsibility people take when behind the wheel of a car. It is something that can never be achieved fully through legislation or enforcement alone. It is delivered via shared responsibility. In order for safety to increase, it is essential that drivers accept and act on the need to behave in a safe manner. We have seen change in that area, for example, in regard to drink-driving, as was touched on by other Deputies.

As Deputy Broughan has outlined, in 2013 the number of road deaths increased to 189 and last year they increased to 197. While there are a variety of factors behind this increase, there are many areas of behaviour and of change that we must address. We must remain vigilant in order to get back to the decreases we have seen in previous years. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald made the point that there is no mere statistic here. There are families, there are absences around the dinner table, absences when homework is being done and meals are being had. For every digit, there is a family and a community that have had the wrecking ball of either serious injury or loss of life pass through their lives and homes. The Brennan family and all their supporters whom I have met have used this in an extraordinary way as the cornerstone of a campaign to make our roads, particularly those in residential communities, safer. Along with everybody else, I wish to recognise that in my contribution.

I have met the Jake's Legacy family and campaign on five occasions and had the opportunity to engage with them this morning when walking into the Dáil. I have made changes and introduced initiatives in response to dealing with them. All Deputies have acknowledged this, while expressing genuine concerns regarding their effect or adequacy, which is their prerogative. On foot of some of the meetings I had with the family, I announced on 4 February the allocation of an additional €2 million to support local authorities in delivering lower speed limits in residential communities.

One consequence of this has been the design of a new sign, which will be funded by the Department as a means of raising awareness among drivers of their responsibilities in highly populated residential communities. I took this initiative in direct response to the manner in which Roseann Brennan and her family campaigned and led on this issue.

Furthermore, in October 2014, in other words, before I announced the funding of €2 million, I issued to local authorities a circular on the control of vehicle speeds in housing estates. The purpose of the circular was to advise local authorities of the results of a recent survey which was done on foot of a meeting I held with members of the Jake's Legacy campaign last summer. The circular also reiterated existing policy on traffic calming procedures and requested local authorities to undertake a review process of speed limits in housing estates. All local authorities have since responded and I am collating their responses as I deliberate on how best to spend the €2 million I have provided for making residential estates safer.

Guidance documents issued by my Department provide a policy framework for public roads under the responsibility of local authorities in respect of the design of new estates and revamping of existing estates. The 2010 guidelines give particular guidance on 30 km/h speed limits. The purpose of this approach is to create a framework to guide local authorities in assessing what actions can best deliver safer communities and improvements in residential areas. The overriding objective is to reduce vehicle speeds on all roads, with a particular focus on housing estates, so as to improve safety for all.

Deputy McDonald and her Sinn Féin colleagues briefed the House on the Bill, which builds on the Road Traffic Act 2004. Sections 4 to 10, inclusive, of the 2004 Act define particular

types of speed limit. The Bill proposes the insertion of a new subsection (1A) in section 7 of the 2004 Act. This would define a new kind of speed limit, to be known as a "residential road speed limit", which would be 20 km/h for all mechanically propelled vehicles. The proposed amendment would add the option of a special speed limit of 20 km/h, under section 9(2), which would be applied only on roads within areas defined in by-laws as residential areas or housing estates but not covered by the provisions of the new section 7(1A).

Deputy Broughan referred to the policy on what are known as home zones. I acknowledge the work the Deputy has done on road safety. A review of speed limits produced detailed proposals on the introduction of home zones. It provided for an option of introducing a 20 km/h speed limit in home zone areas. It should be noted, however, that the home zone concept is different from the proposal made in the Bill, which provides for the introduction of a mandatory 20 km/h speed limit in housing estates and residential zones. I will not do the House a disservice by claiming that home zones, which I would like to progress, are the same as the speed limits proposed in the Sinn Féin Bill. Having considered the proposals in the Bill, I do not disagree in principle with the creation of a 20 km/h limit for residential areas. However, the proposal to make the speed limit mandatory and have it imposed centrally creates a challenge. I will engage with the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications on this matter.

Deputy Stanley noted some of the challenges presented by the Bill when he referred to the problems created by blanket speed limits. He stated, for example, that speed limits must fit the road and argued that local authorities and councillors are best placed to define what are residential areas. This is the challenge I would face were I to choose to implement a mandatory 20 km/h speed limit. I will give an example of the difficulty that arises in designating a residential road. Many roads in this city and other cities which have homes located on them are also main routes for traffic, including at, but not limited to, rush hour commuting times. Examples with which I am familiar include James's Street and Church Street in Dublin, both of which are major thoroughfares that traverse residential communities. The challenge I and my officials face in responding to the proposal to roll out a mandatory lower speed limit of 20 km/h is to recognise and define the wide variety of road types, including many which traverse housing estates and residential areas. My officials and I wrestled with this issue until late this evening as we sought to understand the challenge of creating a definition of a residential road and a road in a housing estate. For these reasons, I am inclined to the view that it would be more appropriate to allow local authorities to make decisions in this matter, rather than rolling out a mandatory new speed limit. A pilot scheme for the 20 km/h speed limit, based on the home zone concept, should be carried out this year.

I was challenged to respond quickly to this issue. I emphasise that I have great sympathy for the thrust of the Bill and have engaged repeatedly with the Brennan family and its supporters on how to respond to the issue. The heads of a new road traffic Bill have been circulated to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications. I will provide for an option of a lower speed limit of 20 km/h in the Bill, which is a clear mechanism for acting in a prompt fashion.

I represent an area with many residential communities. I have observed the Brennan family's response to an unimaginable tragedy, which has been to mount a campaign characterised by great honour and effort. I have given a commitment to introduce a 20 km/h speed limit in the manner I have described. It will be done through legislation or more promptly if possible. I also intend to recognise the role of local authorities in this matter. This is the best response we can make to the need to make all roads, specifically those in residential areas, as safe as possible. I assure the House that I will give this matter my full attention in the joint committee. I have spoken in detail about the challenges presented by the need to produce definitions and the possibility of mandating the roll-out of the Sinn Féin proposal to all roads in residential communities, regardless of their different features. I again acknowledge the work done by the Jake's Legacy campaign and Roseann Brennan.

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