Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 72: To ask the Minister for Transport the measures he intends to take to address the problem of speeding heavy goods vehicles and buses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9090/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Directive 92/6/EEC requires speed limiters to be fitted to goods vehicles having a design gross vehicle weight exceeding 12,000 kg and passenger vehicles with more than eight passenger seats having a design gross vehicle weight exceeding 10,000 kg so that their speed may not exceed 90 km/h and 100 km/h, respectively. This directive was transposed into Irish law by means of the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 1993.

Directive 2002/85/EC extends the requirement to have speed limiters fitted to include goods vehicles having a design gross vehicle weight exceeding 3,500 kg and all passenger vehicles with more than eight passenger seats. The speed limiters are required to be set so that the speed of these vehicles may not exceed 90 km/h and 100 km/h, respectively. The directive's provisions generally apply to these vehicles that are first registered on or after 1 January 2005. Directive 2002/85/EC has been transposed into Irish law by means of the European Communities (Installation and Use of Speed Limitation Devices in Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2005 (SI 831 of 2005).

Notwithstanding the requirement to have a speed limiter fitted as described above, goods vehicles with a design gross vehicle weight exceeding 3,500 kg and passenger vehicles with more than eight passenger seats are subject to an ordinary speed limit of 80 km/h, unless the road is subject to a lower speed limit.

Enforcement of the regulations is a matter for the Garda Síochána.