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

I congratulate the Minister of State on his appointment. Speed limits have been reduced on many roads in the past week. All these roads were deemed local roads and most people I have spoken to have no issue in the wide, earthly world with that. Where I am living, one of the roads had a limit of 80 km/h but motorists could not do 80 km/h unless they were out of their minds. The best they could do was 60 km/h in the first place, so there is no issue there.

The problem in west Cork relates to the regional roads, R586 and R585, and the national road, N71. Many people got involved in the first rounds of the consultation thinking this was it. The drop in the local roads would be made and other roads would be left as they are. Now it seems there is a second round of speed limit drops and no consultation will be made with the general public or public representatives.

There are three main routes into west Cork: the N71 through Bandon, Clonakilty, Skibbereen and Ballydehob; the R586 through Bandon, Ballyneen, Dunmanway and Drimoleague; and the R585 through Keelkill, Coosane and Cappeen. Will the N71 have a drop in speed limits? It is at 100 km/h. In some parts, it goes down to 80 km/h. That is around towns and other areas where it is accepted. Will the R586 go from 100 km/h to 80 km/h ? In some parts it is 80 km/h or 60 km/h already. Will the 80 km/h limit be reduced to 60 km/h and will the 60 km/h be reduced to 40 km/h? The speed limit on the R585 is 100 km/h. Will it go down to 80 km/h? Some parts are at 60 km/h already. Will they go down to 30 km/h or 40 km/h? This will cause nothing short of chaos and anarchy.

I mentioned this issue in the Dáil yesterday to the Minister, Deputy Chambers, and he showed the mindet of a Dublin city Minister with no clear understanding of how rural Ireland works. We advocate for safety on the road and if there is a blackspot or a dangerous road, the local authority should reduce speed limits. There is no question or argument about that. That should be done in consultation. The way things are going, there will soon be no point in having a TD, councillor or Senator because they will have no say in anything. It is dictation from the top. We need to be careful and to make sure roads are safe but blanket drops will not work.

One of the main and only routes we have is the Bandon-Ballyneen-Dunmanway-Drimoleage to Bantry road. The speed limit is going to go down from 80 km/h, and in some parts from 60km/h. It is astonishing. It will be an absolute disgrace. There is a public meeting on Friday night, which is guaranteed to be packed with angry people asking public representatives what they are doing and if they are asleep in the Dáil, making blanket decisions like this without a proper consultation. It does not matter what constituency is involved. It must be affecting other constituencies too.

I ask for clarity on the N71, R586 and R585. Can we work towards a solution? Some of these areas need drops, but not a blanket drop because that would destroy businesses in these towns and areas. The roads are in shocking condition. That is the problem. Roads are massively wide, wide enough to take passing bays or whatever, but the Government has forgotten all that, put it on motorists' backs and is trying to destroy businesses in rural communities where there is plenty of safe travelling going on as it is. Some of the roads I mentioned have had, thanks be to God, no serious car accident. On the odd one there is; that could happen anywhere. I am only asking if there will be consultations or will it be dictation from the top.

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