Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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525. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline his views on whether it is appropriate for Transport Infrastructure Ireland to overrule local Garda advise on speed limits on stretches of road (details supplied) in view of the fact that local Garda advice is based on local knowledge of past accidents and the potential for future accidents; his plans to review the powers of TII to overrule both An Garda Síochána and local authorities in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30890/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​The application of Special Speed Limits, i.e. speed limits other than the default speed limits, are provided for in Section 9 of the Road Traffic Act 2004, which gives local authorities the power to make bye-laws ("special speed limit bye-laws") in respect of any specified public road or specified part of a public road or specified carriageway or lane of a public road within its administrative area. Under the Act, local authorities are required to give notice to and consider representations from, any borough or town in the administrative county concerned and also the Garda Commissioner. The public must be informed by way of Press Notice in at least two daily newspapers.

The 2004 Act also states that a county council or city council shall not make bye-laws relating to a national road or a motorway without the prior written consent of the National Roads Authority (now Transport Infrastructure Ireland or TII).

The 2013 Speed Limits Review Group includes a wide range of representatives from relevant bodies such as, among others, the City and County Management Association, the Local Government Management Agency, TII, An Garda Síochána and officials of this Department. The report of the Representative Group which was accepted by the Minister suggested that, if anything, the role of TII in respect of speed limits on national roads should in certain circumstances be strengthened with a view to better managing and protecting the national road network from, among other things, inappropriate development. It should also be noted that TII maintain detailed records of traffic collisions, including fatalities and serious injuries, on the national road network and use them to identify where works are needed for safety reasons. It is therefore not appropriate to say that local Gardaí are better informed than TII regarding the safety of particular locations.