Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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199. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18600/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​While the Road Traffic Act 2004 sets default speed limits for national roads (both within and outside built up areas), local authorities, in this case Clare County Council, may, in consultation with the Garda Commissioner and with the consent of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), make bye-laws to set Special Speed Limits for such roads in their administrative areas.

Under section 9 of the Act, local authorities have the necessary statutory powers to provide for Special Speed Limits outside of schools if they deem such limits to be appropriate and necessary. A Special Speed Limit may also include a periodic speed limit which can be designed to apply and operate at specified periods, for example when children are arriving at, or leaving a school during term time.

To assist local authorities in the application of Special Speed Limits, my Department's Guidelines for Setting and Managing Speed Limits in Ireland, published in March 2015, provides detailed guidance on the application of Special Speed Limits outside of schools and is available to all local authorities. These Guidelines reiterate that the making of Special Speed Limit bye-laws is a matter for the Elected Members of local authorities, subject to following Department Guidelines and to the consent of TII in the case of national roads.