Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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108. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if it is always necessary for a local authority to establish definitively the 85th percentile speed using a traffic speed study before the local authority may apply a special speed limit of 30 km/h; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34454/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The setting and managing of speed limits is a matter for each local authority in accordance with the Guidelines for the Setting and Managing of Speed limits in Ireland as published by my Department in 2015. The setting of speed limits is primarily driven by safety and a need to reduce collisions and their severity and to ensure that speed limits are consistent and appropriate to the place / function of the road.

There will be various situations when it will be necessary for safety reasons to review and to lower the default speed limit by applying a special speed limit. This can be done by the making of special speed limit bye-laws and this power is vested in the Elected Members of Local Authorities.

The Speed Limit Guidelines do not require a local authority to establish definitively the 85th percentile speed using a traffic speed study before the local authority may apply a special speed limit of 30 km/h.