Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Callely, to the House. While I welcome the Bill, I will be opposing some sections, particularly those on insurance liability as the issue has not been properly addressed.

The Bill is an attempt by the Government to tie together myriad objectives, such as standardising speeding limits and converting them to the metric system, giving comprehensive powers to the local authorities, particularly in setting speed limits, and granting parking permits. The Bill also includes the outsourcing of penalty points and their notification to drivers, the sale of vehicles to minors, disqualification of public service drivers and exemptions for emergency drivers. This long list of objectives is well overdue, particularly the sale of vehicles to minors. Action to improve speed limits was long overdue for motorists who have been disadvantaged by the illogical state of national speed limits.

I welcome any attempt to improve the abysmal system of speed limits. This legislation converts speed limits from miles to kilometres. While we must follow our European counterparts in moving to kilometres, I am concerned that it will lead to even greater confusion. We must be conscious that Northern Ireland will not replicate our conversion to the metric system. Additional resources and vigilance will be required, especially at the entry and exit Border-crossing points. I urge the Minister of State and departmental officials to ensure the public is fully informed and aware of this changeover. I am anxious that the Minister will give sufficient funds to the National Roads Authority in this regard.

Difficulties will arise with changes to both signage and speedometers. The change in signage must be done in an efficient and motorist-friendly manner to ensure minimum disruption and maximum public information. The Minister of State alluded to an advertising campaign in the new year but I am concerned by the short lead-in time for the changeover. Today is 9 December and the changeover is expected to take place on 20 January 2005. With Christmas coming, the public will not pay sufficient attention to these significant changes which are scheduled to occur. This is not least because of the failure to introduce the legislation earlier in the year which has prevented media publicity campaigns from being undertaken.

Changes to speedometers in existing cars will cause problems. I ask the Minister of State to clarify if he has considered providing some conversion device to motorists to assist them in making the conversion in their minds. The currency converter for the euro changeover worked well for Irish consumers. Perhaps a similar system could be provided by the Department of Transport.

Speed limits are of critical importance to the promotion of road safety. Existing legislation relating to speed limits provides for the deployment of four different road speed limits, in addition to the application of speed limits to certain types of default speeds. For some time it has been perceived that the system of speed limits is not appropriate to the changed situation which now exists on the road system. Criticisms of existing speed limits centred on the imbalanced policy towards them. For example, rural and secondary roads are subject to the same general speed limits as national roads. This does not make any sense. It is unquestionable that the existing speed limit structure has not taken account of the significant upgrading and development of roads network, which have taken place nationwide over the last 20 years.

The Bill will change the speed limits and, no more than the conversion to metric, it has the potential to create confusion in the public minds. The requirement to reduce speed limits will cause more trouble than the increase in speed limits on certain roads. The need for extensive public information on these changes will again be crucial. Changes to the system will have a strong impact on the speed limits of rural roads where motorists will have to reduce their speed by more than 11 mph. Given that such roads are predominantly the site of many fatal road accidents, it is for the best they are reduced. However, it is going to mean a huge change in drivers' mindsets. I have serious concerns about the level of public awareness that these changes will come into being in less than two months.

I am also disappointed that the changes to the speed limits will do nothing to simplify what is already a complicated system. It was hoped that with metrification, a new structure of speed limits would be introduced, bringing some standardisation to the system. However, now there will be an increase in the number of default speed limits from three to four, thereby, increasing the ever confusing number and range of road signs. I support the Bill's provision giving local authorities power to set special speed limits, provided it is not abused. This must not lead to a situation where, in the space of a few kilometres, motorists are subjected to an array of rising and falling speed limits, not making any obvious sense in terms of road safety. Where higher or lower speed limits can be applied to make a significant difference in promoting road safety they must be utilised. Examples include any high-density residential area or the vicinity of a school in which there are significant numbers of pedestrians and cyclists. I state this with caution as the justified imposition of different limits in housing estates and outside schools should not mean such limits should apply on more significant routes. We cannot have an endless proliferation of speed limits. If we are to reduce speed limits, it is vital to back our initiatives with significant funding to allow local authorities to introduce them.

In this context, it is necessary to ask who will have the power to set speed limits. Will it be a reserved function or a power of the county manager?