Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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257. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware that former speed limits are still showing in popular navigation services after these were reduced on national secondary roads earlier this year; if his Department is aware of a process to ensure changes in speed limits are reflected in navigation services; if this matter will compound when urban speed limits are reduced later this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32814/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Government’s road safety strategy 2021 to 2030 ‘Our Journey Towards Vision Zero’, as published by the Road Safety Authority, includes the primary aim of reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads in half by 2030 and to achieve ‘Vision Zero’, zero deaths or serious injuries, by 2050. To help achieve this aim the strategy included an action for a working group to be established to review the framework for the setting of speed limits and to give specific consideration to the introduction of a 30kph default speed limit in urban areas.

Accordingly, this working group was established, and it comprised representatives from the City & County Managers Association, the Road Safety Authority, an Garda Síochána, the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, and the Department of Transport. Their work led to the publication of the ‘Speed Limit Review’ in 2023, which included a number of principal recommendations concerning speed limit reductions in the interest of improving road safety:

1. A reduction in the default speed limit on rural local roads from 80km/h to 60km/h.

2. The introduction of a 30km/h default speed limit in built-up and urban areas.

3. A reduction in the default speed limit on national secondary roads from 100km/h to 80km/h.

The first phase, the change in the default speed limit on rural local roads from 80km/h to 60km/h took effect nationally on the 7th February 2025. This impacted approximately 83,000km of Ireland's road network.

The proposed change in the default speed limit on national secondary roads from 100km/h to 80km/h requires a further legislative change. This is to be included in 'National Vehicle and Driver File Bill 2025' and it is anticipated that the Bill will be enacted later this year.

Please note that the provision of satellite navigation data in relation to speed limits and speed limit signage is provided by private entities, and as such responsibility to update their systems to reflect speed limit changes on the road network rests with them. I therefore have no role in this matter.