Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1565. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding a speed limit on a road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41649/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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While the Road Traffic Act 2004 sets default speed limits for various categories of roads, elected members of local authorities, in this case Kerry County Council, have statutory responsibility for deciding on and making appropriate Special Speed Limit bye-laws for roads within their administrative area.

To assist local authorities in the application of Special Speed Limits, the Department's updated Guidelines for Setting and Managing Speed Limits, which is available to all local authorities, reiterates the statutory responsibilities of elected members in relation to the making of such Special Speed Limit bye-laws, subject to following Department Guidelines and to the consent of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in the case of national roads.

It should be noted that as part of the review of all speed limits, TII has assessed the widths of all national roads and has provided this information to local authorities. This will assist local authorities in the task of identifying the appropriate speed limits for different sections of national roads within their respective administrative areas in accordance with the Department's Guidelines.

In terms of the overall speed limit review, local authorities have been requested to complete this exercise within their respective administrative areas, including the implementing of Special Speed Limit bye-laws where necessary, by Quarter 2 of 2017.