Róisín Garvey (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

This is a really important part of the Bill. The TII has often made decisions on the speed limits for certain types of road, but it is important, as we heard the Minister say, that if local authorities have an issue with the limit that is set that it can be looked at and changed. I have put up many photos of where there is an 80 km/h speed limit right on a bend or one where there is an 80 km/h sign and right underneath it a sign warning people to slow down because there are children at play. In my village of Inagh, there is a speed limit of 60 km/h going through the village. There are serious issues with generic speeds on certain classes of road being rolled out across the country that in lots of circumstances are inappropriate. It is very good to see this measure in the Bill. We will need to send circulars to all the local authorities to remind them of that because for years local authorities said, "Sorry, we cannot do anything about it; that is TII's responsibility." It might be good if we could get this information out to the local authorities to remind them that there are issues of inappropriate speed limits in individual villages and towns. It is important that they are reminded that they can request TII to examine the decision again. I welcome the decision.

I would also like to see an examination of the speed limits outside villages, such as 50 km/h, or 60 km/h in the case of Inagh. I do not know how the speed limit through a village could be 60 km/h. It is beyond me. I believe the reduced speed should be extended further out of towns, as it would increase the opportunity for people to walk or cycle within the radius. The reduced speed limits are often very close to the village.Do you know what I mean? If we can bring them out further, it will have two effects. It will slow down traffic before it hits the village rather than at the village itself. With regard to planning, housing is only allowed within the speed limit boundaries of a town, which leaves very little space for buildings in our towns and villages, which is where we want houses to be built.