Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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101. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to review speed limits for rural and urban roads particularly in view of recent road fatalities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44083/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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 As Minister, I am very concerned to ensure that there are appropriate speed limits in place.  This is an essential matter of public safety, as speed is not only a major cause of collisions, but also a determining factor in how serious those collisions are.

By way of addressing this issue, I am currently looking at options to carry out a review of the framework for the setting of speed limits in Ireland.  This will include the 30-km/h speed limit zones.

The Road Traffic Act 2004 sets out default speed limits for the Road network.  Local authorities have the discretion to decide on varying these limits through Special Speed Limit bye-laws for roads within their administrative area. The making of such bye-laws is a reserved function of the elected members of the council.

The enforcement of speed limits is a matter for an Garda Síochána.

Special Speed Limits are speed limits that are specified in bye-laws prepared by Local Authority Engineers and made by (adopted by the vote of) the Elected Members of Local Authorities. Section 9 of the Road Traffic Act 2004 (amended by Section 86 of the Road Traffic Act 2010) sets out the range of Special Speed Limits that may be applied through bye-laws.

To assist local authorities in the application of Special Speed Limits, my Department’s updated Guidelines for Setting and Managing Speed Limits in Ireland (2015) is available on www.speedlimits.ie website.  This applies to all roads and provides guidelines to local authorities as to how to decide appropriate speed limits. In addition, and in an effort to improve the appropriateness of speed limits, my Department has developed an appeals process which would allow for individuals to appeal a specific speed limit.  This is expected to be live in Q4 this year.