Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Is mór an trua é go bhfuil gá leis an díospóireacht seo atá ar siúl againn anocht agus a bheidh ar siúl oíche amárach. Gabhann sé le hócáid bhrónach. Chaill buachaill beag, Jake, a shaol.

It is a very sad occasion that we have a little boy, Jake, who lost his life. He is gone from his loved ones, his family, his school, his friends and his community. He and his family are deprived of all they should have been looking forward to. I acknowledge the work of Deputies McDonald and Ellis and the role of the Minister in not opposing the legislation. It is a small consolation but the real consolation will be to other parents who do not have to suffer a similar loss and are spared the sadness and grief.

What is proposed is sensible and practical. Part of it is about standardised speed limits for vehicles in housing estates where children are likely to be playing. It highlights the need for marked speed limits on housing estates to reduce the speed at which drivers drive in residential areas. It is also about parents being confident enough to allow their children to play on the streets. Those of us above a certain age know what it was like to play in the streets when it was safe to do so. It was a time when there were fewer cars but there are health benefits when children go out to play safely as opposed to sitting inside playing on various technological gadgets.

Speed ramps are effective in slowing down cars so I was surprised to see a departmental survey that only 14% of the 8,000 housing estates surveyed had speed ramps. This is a point for future developers. We know there will be more housing built and this must be part of the brief. Where I live in East Wall, it was a rat run and there is no doubt the speed ramps have been somewhat successful in slowing down drivers. Visual signage is important, as are speed signs and signs referring to children at play. It is all about raising awareness and local safety education in schools. Some second level schools include it as part of the transition year module. Driving lessons should be about more than passing the driving test and should be about safety, safer driving and awareness of pedestrians, particularly children.

The Minister referred to certain roads that may prove problematic when it comes to definitions because they are main arteries. We can think of many more examples but a start can be made on housing estates. All the signs, rules and regulations are not worth anything unless they are enforced and there is a change in driving culture. The key phrase for all of us is "Slow down".

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