Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 662: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the options available to a local authority which wishes to progress a green road project that would involve reducing a speed limit to 30 km/h on part of a regional road to enhance scenic walking tours and other tourism-related activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27397/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The power to decide the speed limit applying to individual roads within an area rests with the relevant road authority, i.e. City Council, County Council or County Borough Corporation, in consultation with the Garda Commissioner, and with the consent of the National Roads Authority in the case of national roads. Under Section 9 of the Road Traffic Act, 1994, the relevant road authority may make bye-laws in respect of the application of certain speed limits to specified public roads in their administrative areas. Road safety is a major consideration in the application of speed limits and enforcement is a matter for the Garda Síochána.

My Department issued guidelines in January of this year to all local authorities and the onus is on local authorities to take them into account in relation to the speed limits to be set for all roads in their area of responsibility. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide advice and guidance in relation to the making of speed limit bye-laws by county and city councils for the purpose of applying special speed limits. After taking the guidelines into account it is considered best practice for local authority officials to advise the elected members of their respective councils on what a suitable speed limit regime should be for different roads in their areas of responsibility. For new roads the local authority will have the relevant information on the speed for which the road was designed.

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 663: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the N71 upgrade programme from Cork city to west Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27413/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects, including the N71 Upgrade programme, is a matter in the first instance for the NRA in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act.

Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NRA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.