Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to offer my sincere sympathy to the loved ones of anyone who has passed away due to a road traffic accident. It is a huge tragedy for families and communities and has happened too many times, unfortunately, for one reason or another. In March 2022, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, conducted an independent study on the implications of reducing speed limits. The findings of this report are both startling and concerning. The report concluded that lowering speed limits would have a negative effect on emissions. More alarmingly, it projected an increase in fatalities, estimating an additional 35 deaths annually. Furthermore, the economic implications are staggering. The report anticipates that the cost of reducing speed limits could amount to a whopping €3.8 billion over a 30-year period. Despite the gravity of these findings, this report which is, to our knowledge, the only internal Government document on the subject, is being overlooked. This disregard is perplexing, especially considering the report's clear indication that reducing speed limits would increase rather than decrease road deaths and impose a cost of nearly €4 billion on the country over the next three decades. The question that arises is why such a significant report is being ignored.

Deputy Ó Cathasaigh said earlier that he has serious worries about this issue. The biggest worry I have is the Minister. First, his absence here tonight is very disappointing because this is a very serious matter. Furthermore, TII advised him in recent years that if he did not invest in certain roads, there would be 77 extra deaths and 381 injuries in five years but he failed to invest. Earlier today, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan referred to west Cork and accepted, as a Government TD, that the roads budget for west Cork that will be announced on Thursday - I do not know how he knows about it - will be decreased. It is astonishing. He accepted that our roads are in an appalling condition, which they are. I agree with him and have been at him long enough about it. He is on my side now, which is great. I am in the Opposition, which makes it is a bit strange; he is in government but he has not delivered. The bottom line is that west Cork roads are appalling. The Minister of State cannot just nod his head. He should come down to west Cork, sit into my car and I will bring him around the area. If his Deputy has not done it, I will do it and he will see the appalling condition of the roads. They are in an appalling condition. There is no other word for it. There cannot be a brown cent less given in the budget this year. It has to be doubled but of course, the Minister, Eamon Ryan, does not want to invest in roads. What happens when we have a road with potholes and cars swerving left, right and centre? They cannot travel on the road. A road like the N71 has not received proper investment or been given a proper bypass or proper passing bays since the Skibbereen bypass was built 25 or 26 years ago. That is the only bypass that was delivered. We have no bypass in Innishannon, although we keep begging for it. The northern relief road and the southern relief road in Bandon have not been finished. The Bantry relief road has not been finished. This Government is an absolute abject failure and this is leading to absolute frustration when people are driving. Do not tell me that the speed limit on the N71 is going to be brought down to 80 km/h; I cannot travel at 25 miles per hour some of the days there. It is appalling. The Minister of State has to come down to see it. I am being honest. I am quite happy to let him sit into my car and I will go around and show him. He will see it for himself. The speed limit on the R585 and the R586 is being cut from 80 km/h to 60 km/h. That is push bike speed. People have to go to work in the morning. They are stressed to within an inch of their lives but they are trying their best to stay within the limits. Everybody wants to stay within the limits. Nobody wants to break the limits but this Government is going to make sure that they do. As for road markings, they no longer exist on most of the roads in west Cork but that is okay, to hell with it. Flooding comes and the floodwaters take away parts of the road. There is a collapsed road west of Schull at the moment. It is called the bog road and it has been going into the ditch for the past six months. It is astonishing. I urge the Minister to come and see it. He has to see what is going on but he does not and he will not.

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