asked the Minister for Local Government whether any comprehensive plan has yet been arrived at whereby the present unsatisfactory traffic position in Dublin will be eased.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Traffic Congestion.
Any plan designed to provide comprehensive relief of traffic congestion in Dublin would necessitate the carrying out of large-scale demolition of property and schemes involving heavy capital expenditure on new roads and bridges. No such plan has yet been agreed to as between the corporation and the Port and Docks Board. The control of traffic congestion, in so far as this can be achieved within the existing road system, is primarily a matter for the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána.
The Parliamentary Secretary is not aware that the traffic position in the City of Dublin is fast becoming impossible? In the light of that fact is the position now that no steps are being taken to make any plan to relieve that situation? Is that the position?
I said that the question of traffic congestion and parking was a matter in the first place for the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána, who makes the parking regulations in agreement with the corporation and with the approval of the Minister. Another question to which I referred was the difficulty of the lay-out of Dublin. If congestion were to be relieved in the principal parts, notably College Green, Westmoreland Street and places in the centre of Dublin, it would involve heavy expense by way of capital expenditure.
Surely the Parliamentary Secretary cannot hold that nothing can be done to relieve the traffic situation in Dublin without large-scale demolition of property? If the Gardaí examined the matter from the point of view of having more one-way streets they might arrive at a position where the traffic would flow instead of sticking.
I am in entire agreement with the Deputy, but as I have pointed out on previous occasions it is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and the initiative of Dublin Corporation.
As the traffic has become worse and worse during the last couple of years and is bound to become worse, the sooner the Gardaí get down to that matter and approach it from a scientific point of view the better.