Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have a certain sympathy with Senator Barrett's amendment. I cannot begin to imagine the anguish of Jake's parents and the circumstances in which he lost his life.I cannot be sure about the introduction of a 20 km/h or 12 mph speed limit. When one drives a modern manual car at 12 mph, one feels like one is stopped. That is why I am not sure the motive behind the lobby for the introduction of this speed limit, which is to reduce speed to the minimum, will be enforceable.

The amendment provides for other traffic calming measures. Such measures, including speed bumps, work in residential areas. I hate speed bumps even driving at 12 mph but they are effective and they work. I acknowledge the new speed limit will be enshrined in law and the Minister will not amend it but perhaps consideration could be given to the aspirations behind the amendment on two fronts. One is traffic calming measures and the second is consultation with residents and local authorities. Such a speed limit should not be mandatory in all residential areas because each residential area is different in the context of how one accesses or leaves it, where it is located and so on. One size does not fit all. I have no problem with the principle underlying the provision and I understand it perfectly. Perhaps the Minister might consider the amendment in the context of consultation and other traffic calming measures alongside the mandatory speed limits of 40 km/h, 30 km/h and, in particular, 20 km/h.