Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to contribute to the debate. The Road Traffic Bill provides for a number of reforms which are worthy of support. They include the introduction of a new offence of being in charge of a vehicle while under the influence of certain drugs, including cannabis, cocaine and heroin. The Bill also provides for preliminary testing of oral fluids for drugs by gardaí at the roadside or in Garda stations. It is also welcome that the Bill will give effect to the agreement with the United Kingdom on the mutual recognition of driver disqualifications which was signed in October 2015.

Additionally, the Bill creates a new option for local authorities to impose a speed limit of 20 km/h in built-up areas, in addition to existing possible speed limits of 50, 40 and 30 km/h. A speed of 20 km/h is very slow and while I am sure there may be good and valid reasons for introducing such a restriction, it would be a pointless exercise if it could not be enforced. For the most part, a 20 km/h restriction will depend for its success on the civic spirit of drivers rather than hard-pressed gardaí who are overstretched. If a new law is not enforced, it is brought into disrepute and ignored by the public. Of course, we need new laws to meet changing societal needs and situations, but they should obviously be in the public good, sensible and enforceable. The 20 km/h restriction has the capacity to be honoured more in the breach than the observance. How and where it will be applied needs to be considered carefully.

On the other side of the coin, communities that want to reduce speed limits under existing legislation find that the system is intensely bureaucratic, time-consuming and generally fails to answer an urgent need. I will give the House an example from my constituency. There is a beautiful but a potentially dangerous road in the Burren between Corkscrew Hill and Ballyvaughan. I am sure it is a road with which Deputy Eamon Ryan is very familiar as he has spent a lot of time on his holidays in north Clare. It is a beautiful, scenic road along which people stop to take photographs across the Burren and Galway Bay.

Residents and community interests have been campaigning to have the 100 km/h speed limit on this section of the N67 reduced in the interests of safety. The situation is very serious and there are reports of injuries to pedestrians walking from Burren College of Art into Ballyvaughan from local bed and breakfasts and there are numerous traffic accidents on this road. It is not a new story; public representatives at national and local levels have campaigned on this issue in the past.

Despite extensive support from the AA, the Garda and the Road Safety Authority and the speed limit review initiated in 2013, the statutory speed limit on the N67 stands at 100 km/h. I have driven on this road on many occasions and it is impossible to drive at 100 km/h. One cannot exceed 60 km/h for safety reasons and yet the 100 km/h signs remain.

This road carries a huge amount of traffic, as it is a main access route from the Burren to the Wild Atlantic Way, coming from Lisdoonvarna down into Ballyvaughan. Hundreds of accidents have taken place over the 5 km stretch north of Ballyvaughan and this will continue unless the speed limit is changed. I fail to understand why the TII and Clare County Council are reluctant to act promptly in spite of the knowledge that the infrastructure has barely carried the existing volume of traffic in the past.

This section of the road has brought an increased volume of traffic since the very successful introduction of the Wild Atlantic Way. It is the main access route to the Wild Atlantic Way from Ballyvaughan. Officials in Clare County Council agree that a 100 km/h speed limit along this section of the N67 is not realistic and that the route is not reasonably driveable at this speed. However, the process of endeavouring to effect speed limit change is complex and convoluted and can take up to two years to complete in accordance with procedures set out in the guidelines for setting and managing speed limits.

I understand that a process is under way at present with a view to development of a countywide speed limit scheme to facilitate speed limit change where deemed appropriate. The process involves developing a draft scheme, consulting with the Garda, consulting with elected local authority members and in particular consulting with the general public.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland is a key consultee for national roads. In fact, Transport Infrastructure Ireland is currently carrying out its own assessment of speed limits on the national route network. I understand there is movement in the Corkscrew Hill, Ballyvaughan case. The public consultation element of the process will be advertised in the local press later this year. Ultimately, a reduction in the speed limit will have to be approved by the elected members of Clare County Council. Pending the completion of this process, is it possible to introduce a temporary reduction of speed to 60 km/h on this road, as I do not believe there is any disagreement on the need to reduce the speed limit? The current system to effect speed limit change is too long and too inefficient; it costs money in terms of officials' time and ultimately does not meet the citizens' needs in a timely fashion. I urge the Minister to examine this area with a view to accelerating the process.

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