(South Tipperary) asked the Minister for Local Government if he will erect speed limit and creamery exit signs at Emly, County Tipperary.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Tipperary Traffic Signs.
11.
The desirability of applying a speed limit to this place will be considered during the review of speed limits on all public roads at present being carried out.
The provision of traffic signs is a matter for the road authority acting at the request, or with the consent, of the Commissioner of the Garda. However, the existing system of traffic signs, based on international practice, does not provide for a specific sign for a creamery exit. Persons entering and leaving a creamery should exercise the same care as persons entering and leaving factories, sports grounds, churches and other places attracting a number of people.
Could the Minister say when this annual review will be completed?
It is not an annual review; it is a complete nation-wide review.
When will it be completed?
I think we are on the fifteenth or sixteenth county at the moment. It will be a considerable time before it is completed. However, we are proposing to make the regulations in part for groups of counties rather than wait until the entire country is completed as heretofore.
What are the terms of reference of this committee carrying out the review?
It would be rather hard to define them.
For example, in the case of Rosslare Strand which I raised with the Minister, what is the difficulty in the Minister making up his mind whether or not speed limits will be provided?
The difficulty is that about 5,000 or 6,000 similar requests are being dealt with over the past year and a half by a single reviewing team from my Department and necessarily so.
What is the difficulty about people making up their minds whether or not a particular place should have a speed limit of 30 m.p.h. or 40 m.p.h.?
The Deputy or I may have some place where we feel the speed limit should be reviewed.
What about the local authority?
The Deputy's local authority may know a particular place but every other local authority will want other places reviewed. A team of three people is dealing with every complaint, suggestion and amendment that has come flooding in over the past few years. It is this single team effort that is causing the delay. But, on the other hand, because of our experience in having a variety of teams in every county doing the job and not doing it so well——
What the Minister wants is uniformity?
Not uniformity. That word may have been used by me in some official replies but it was the wrong choice of word. It is not uniformity we are looking for but a commonsense approach to all the various problems?
Will it be completed in three months?
I would not say so.
Is priority given to places of greater density such as, for instance, the Dublin area?
The first review has been completed. It was related to areas of high traffic density, to what we would regard as the arterial routes. They have been completed and the regulations suitably amended. What we are on now are the other roads. We are trying to sort out the various amendments and suggestions made prior to amending the regulations.
Would the Minister try to give some priority to seaside places where there is an influx of visitors during the summer time?
I will think about that.
Is there any hope the Minister might set up another team?
I most certainly will not. I do not want to have to set up another one later on.
They will not do it in their lifetime.