asked the Minister for Local Government the total approximate cost of speed limit signposts in connection with the introduction of the speed limit in this country; and who decided where such signs will be placed.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Speed Limits.
34.
The approximate cost of the signposting is estimated at £70,000. The siting of the signs is determined by the terms of Section 45 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, and the Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Regulations, 1963.
Is the Minister aware that the Act states clearly that the speed limit shall be observed through towns? Is he aware of the fact that signposts have been erected in many cases almost three-quarters of a mile outside a town? That is considered unreasonable in some instances.
Undoubtedly with the number of signs that have been erected and towns that have been signposted, as time goes on, experience will probably show that a number may have to be changed outwards or inwards. I should like it to be clearly understood that the locations of the signposts now decided on were not chosen in a haphazard way. They were chosen by local committees representative of the engineers and the Garda. We got the views of the local authorities in question, and finally the actual sites for the signposts were visited by officers of my Department in company with the local engineers. I agree that there may have been mistakes. Time will show that we may have to makes changes, and we are quite prepared to do so, if we find that mistakes have been made.
Can the Minister say if this £70,000 comes from the Road Fund.
From the Road Fund, and there is nothing from the rates.
The local authority will get the additional money? It will not be deducted——
They will be recouped.
Question No. 35.
Take your time, a Cheann Comhairle.
The Deputy is entitled to ask——
We want to get information.
——a number of supplementary questions and the Chair is the authority as to the number of such questions he may ask.
I want to get information.
I exercise that authority. The Deputy may not give instructions to the Chair.
He is not here very often at Question Time.
Would the Minister say if the siting of signs in front of people's houses, in front of gates and windows, was a decision of the officials of his Department or the local authorities? I am sure the Minister is aware that that has occurred in many cases.
Yes, it has.
In general, it would be true to say that the locations were chosen by my officials and the local authority engineers, but without getting specific information about a particular complaint, it would be impossible to say which of the two parties made the decision. My officials visited these sites with the engineers in practically every case but I could not possibly say who made the final decision.
I take it there would be no objection by the Minister's Department if the local authorities have to change the signs from the present sites in a number of cases backwards or forwards by a few yards?
The revision in relation to sites is contained in the regulations, and before any sign could be moved to a new site, the regulations would have to be changed by the Minister for Local Government, so the procedure would be that representations would come from the local authority as to any change which they felt was desirable. These representations would be considered by us and if we thought well of it, it would be changed.
Will the Minister tell us the exact qualifications for posting these signs in a village or a town? I passed through a town this morning with only six houses and it was posted 30 m.p.h.
That may well happen. I should like it to be quite clearly understood that the local authorities, the elected representatives and their staffs, were specifically brought into this, because of the fact that we believed that their knowledge in the matter was of paramount importance. Copies of the regulations were circulated as early as last October and were in the hands of every local authority. I am wondering why there was no "kick-up" before now.
No one knew what was proposed until the Act was put into operation. The Minister knows that.
Will the Minister say why a village with six houses is posted at 30 m.p.h.?
(Interruptions.)
Order.
35.
asked the Minister for Local Government why there is no speed limit for Cullohill village, County Laois, on the main Dublin-Cork road, having regard to the fact that Laois County Council included this village as one suitable for a speed limit; and if he will now take steps to have it so included.
The technical committee set up in County Laois to consider the application of the "built-up area" and "special" speed limits in the county, did not recommend that a speed limit be introduced in Cullohill. I understand that the county council, when considering the recommendations of the technical committee, "suggested" that Cullohill be included. A subsequent inspection by an officer of my Department indicated that, on balance, Cullohill was not a suitable village in which to introduce a speed limit. Now that the regulations have been introduced, I feel that they should be given a trial as they stand, but, as I indicated in reply to a question on 21st February, the operation of the speed limits in each area will be kept under review by the local technical committee, and it is open to those interested to make suggestions to the local authority for consideration by the technical committee at the end of this year. Where the local authority themselves wish to have a specific case considered, they can direct this technical committee specifically to examine it.
More than one fatal accident has occurred in that village. Everyone who travels the road knows that Cullohill is one village in respect of which a speed limit should be prescribed. Laois County Council were unanimous in asking the Minister to make provision for a speed limit in that village.
What the Deputy has said is true, but there is one missing link. Last October, we circulated the regulations to the local authorities setting out what towns were to be signposted, and there was no response from Laois County Council until, I think, 29th March. At that stage it was too late for reconsideration. It may be that some places should have been signposted and others should not. That will get consideration.
Would the Minister consider in this period of adjustment which must follow the provisional erection of the signs, delegating, say, for a period of six months, his authority to alter the location of these signs to the county engineers, on the understanding that after the lapse of that period, which would be regarded as a period of adjustment, the more formal procedure of the Minister's sanction being required before the location of the signs is further adjusted would be reverted to?
I can certainly consider the suggestion but I am not disposed to accept it.