Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail)

Will the Leader organise a debate, without delay if possible, with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to examine the Department's policy regarding speed restrictions in built-up areas? Great concern has been expressed in built-up areas, particularly in some of the newer communities, where speed limits apply but there are no speed restrictions in place. It is important that we put in place the necessary funding to ensure existing housing estates are provided with speed ramps. Some local authorities indicate they do not have sufficient resources to do that but the Department should allocate those resources. Also, speed restriction facilities should be part of the planning guidelines for new estates. Much work was done in this and the other House in terms of road safety. Real difficulties are being faced in some built-up areas, particularly in housing estates where boy racers use the facilities there to avoid police activity and put in jeopardy the lives of very young children. Many housing estates now have a limited amount of green areas and children are forced to play in culs-de-sac and on the road. The lack of speed restrictions in these areas means we are heading towards a dangerous precedent and the potential for loss of life. We should act now as part of the overall road strategy. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has not moved as quickly as it should on this issue, particularly in terms of putting in place guidelines that would be helpful to ensure planning authorities could make these restrictions part of future planning permissions.