asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware of the highly dangerous fast traffic conditions, one car per ten seconds, at Navan Road, Blanchardstown, County Dublin with consequent grave danger to the public and particularly to children; and if so, when he proposes to establish a speed limit zone in this district.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Blanchardstown (Dublin) Speed Limit.
25.
A speed limit of 30 m.p.h. at present applies to a section of the Dublin-Navan Road at Blanchardstown. As I have indicated on previous occasions a general review of speed limits is at present in progress and the question of extending the speed limit on the Dublin-Navan Road at Blanchardstown will be considered in the course of this review.
Did I understand the Minister to say that there is a speed limit of 30 miles per hour in existence at the moment?
Applicable to a section of the Dublin-Navan road.
Yes, but not to the section referred to in the question. The section that Deputy Dunne refers to is the section where there is a newly built-up scheme, between Ashtown and Blanchardstown, and there is no recreation area for the children, who have no place to go except on to the road. It is a cause of serious concern to the people there. Is the Minister aware that on the side-road there is a speed limit but on the main road, passing through a scheme of houses, there is no speed limit? It should not require consideration.
As I have said, there is an overall review taking place which everybody who knows anything about it will agree is a very onerous job, involving literally thousands of proposals from local authorities and other interested persons, to change what we had already done and which, incidentally, they had advised. It is a big and difficult job and I would ask those interested to bear with me in doing it, in an effort to do it properly.
Are there not some two years old?
There are. All the changes have not only been reviewed but changes that have taken place have been made in certain places. We are working through the lot but there are literally thousands of them to be done.
(Cavan): Is the Minister aware that the portion of the road in question, in fact, the portion of the Navan Road from Clonee to Dublin, is quite incapable of carrying the volume of traffic on it at present? Are there any proposals before his Department from Dublin County Council to bring it up to the normal standard?
I think that is a separate question.
It is a separate question but I am aware of its condition.
(Cavan): I shall put down another question.
Does the Minister consider that this matter of speed limits can be settled on a national scale——
My fond hope was, when we first brought in this legislation to enable speed limits to be applied, that our bright idea of getting technical local committees which would solve all our problems would be realised. They did their job in the light of the best resources they had and the result is that we have to do it all over again.
Second thoughts are always better.
Of course, but the trouble is that we have to check these out. Each one of these must be mapped and put in the form of an order. It is a legal document and unless the position of each of these speed limits is pinpointed in every case, it is not legal and, in fact, there is no way of enforcing it.
There is no question of anybody moving the speed limits?
If they move them, they completely wipe out any speed limit. There is no speed limit if they are moved from the sites shown on the maps accompanying the order.