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

I thank the Minister of State. He said this decision was delayed and we know why. It was because a general election was coming. It is a hugely unpopular decision about our regional and national roads. Our councillors made queries about local roads and were told that it was basically dictated from the top. That is what the Independent Ireland councillors were told when they raised concerns. That is what politicians do. They raise concerns.

I look at the roads. I have the whole thing here. It relates to the R586 and the R585 Bantry, Kealkill to Cousane, Coppeen, Bandon, Enniskean, Dunmanway and Ballineen. The speed limit on the Bandon to Timoleague road is 80 km/h. People do not see any issue with it. There is a whole lot of them where people do not see any issues. The Bantry to Kilbrittain road has been reduced to 80 km/h. Clonakilty to Dunmanway has been reduced to 80 km/h, as well as Clonakilty to Timoleague, Clonakilty to Enniskean, Dunmanway to Macroom, Skibbereen to Baltimore, Skibbereen to Castletownshend, Skibbereen to Timoleague and Skibbereen to Cork. People do not have any issue with the speed limits on those roads being reduced to 80 km/h because the roads are not suitable for anything faster. However, I am talking about the main three routes into west Cork: the R585, R586 and N71. These are the concerns we have. If the speed is being reduced to 80 km/h and 60 km/h on the R585, Charlie the dog will run out beyond the cars. That is what will happen and the cyclists will as well. It is an insane proposal and it has to be negotiated.

If there are dangers on the roads, by all means bring the speed down, but do not put a blanket drop on speed. Someone has got to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. He is not here. He should be here to discuss this as it is a serious issue. It will be detrimental to businesses and tourism and to drivers on the roads who will be frustrated and angry. We do not need that. We need to bring drivers with us to make sure roads are safe. This is an area where local authorities seem to have no say; they say it has been dictated from the top and they have to go with it and that is it. If the Minister of State said the local authorities do have a say, I accept that, but I will take it back to the local authority and I will come back to the Government again if it is not the case.

See this speech in context