Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The timelines are those I set out in September when I outlined what was in the speed limit review. Our intention was always to issue guidance to local authorities in quarter 1 of next year and then, through 2024, speed limit reviews would be undertaken by local authorities and new speed limits decided on. If we had followed through on the Deputy's proposal, we probably would have been waiting a year to get the legislation changed and we probably would not have seen changes to the speed limits for two or three years.

We have had strong stakeholder support from rural and urban areas. People have commented publicly on this. Recent polling data to be outlined today by the Road Safety Authority shows strong support for the reduction of speed limits. Many towns and villages have excessive speed limits which are really affecting vulnerable road users. We have had a really worrying increase in the number of pedestrians killed. This will make a difference when it is implemented. We are on track in the context of the timeline I set out in September on the guidance being issued to local authorities in quarter 1 of next year and then the local authorities implementing that over a period of months. Not waiving pre-legislative scrutiny would have delayed this by years and that is what would have happened under the Deputy's proposal.

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