Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to a situation pertaining to a section of the M1 motorway near Swords in north County Dublin where motorists have received penalty points from the Garda Síochána for speeding in excess of 60 km/h in a zone people are led to believe should be a 120 km/h motorway zone; if his attention has further been drawn to the comments from Fingal County Council, which has responsibility for setting lower speed limits, saying that they have no record of a 60 km/h speed limit on the section of motorway in question; if, in fact such a lower limit exists, the reason no road signage is in place to inform the travelling public; the reason the legal status of penalty points acquired by motorists, who through no fault of their own were not made aware of special speed restrictions; and if those points will be erased from the motorists record. [12914/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department made inquiries into this matter and has been informed by Fingal County Council that the area in question is the airport spur of the M1 — that section of the M1 between the airport roundabout and the M1 airport interchange. This includes the approach ramp between the airport and the slip road heading northwards on the M1.

The speed limit on this section of road is 60 km/h. This speed limit was originally introduced as a special speed limit of 40 mph in the Road Traffic (Speed Limits) (County of Fingal) By-Laws 2002 and was converted to the metric equivalent of 60 km/h under section 12 of the Road Traffic Act 2004, with effect from 20 January 2005.

The council indicates that the main reason for having a 60 km/h speed limit at this location is to allow for the large volume of weaving traffic to lane-change safely over the relatively short distance of 500 m along the area in question. The area has been examined by the council's traffic engineers who are satisfied that the speed limit is properly and adequately signed at the start and end of the 60 km/h zone.

The county council has informed me that the special speed limit zone in question is clearly sign-posted on both the approach from the airport and the approach from the old N1 by the Coachman's Inn. The council has indicated that it proposes to put additional signage — speed limit repeater signs — in place to emphasise the existence of the 60 km/h special speed limit zone.

Enforcement of offences under the Road Traffic Acts, generally, is the responsibility of the Garda Síochána. The application of penalty points is a matter for the Garda or the courts.