Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

One third of fatal accidents on Irish roads occur in areas to which the 30 mph speed limit applies. Such fatalities usually involve pedestrians – such as children running out of gates on to the road and people walking late at night – and cyclists knocked down by cars. A different view of this is taken on the Continent, where 20 mph speed limits are in operation. I do not propose to introduce such a speed limit here, but we are going to reconsider this issue.

I agree that some of our speed limits are daft. I have driven on roads with 40 mph speed limits that could easily be upgraded to 50 mph zones and roads with 30 mph speed limits that could easily be upgraded to a 40 mph zones. I have also driven on roads in the middle of nowhere with 60 mph speed limits which should be reduced to 50 mph because the roads in question are very dangerous. People are becoming aware of speed limits. Somebody told me the other day he had only just realised that speed limits in particular areas were signposted. He had not noticed the signs before due to the fact that he was not affected by them because if caught, he only had to pay a fine. The person concerned felt road safety was something advertised on television and did not relate to him.

I propose, in the context of going metric over the next year or so, to revise all speed limits and make them realistic. We cannot expect people to adhere to unrealistic speed limits. The statistics in relation to areas were 30 mph speed limits apply are interesting and we must face up to them.