asked the Minister for Local Government if, in view of the growing traffic chaos in Dublin city seriously affecting citizens and industrial and commercial undertakings, he will set up a Dublin Traffic Authority representative of all the interests directly concerned, with statutory powers, to relieve the traffic congestion.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Traffic Congestion.
29.
In my reply to a question by Deputy Moore on the 30th October, I expressed the hope that my detailed statement would bring some reality into discussion of Dublin's traffic problem and would convince people that there is no ready or magic answer to traffic congestion in Dublin or in the cities of other countries with far greater resources than ours. It is inevitable that in a subject like traffic different authorities will have an interest, but it is clear that already Dublin Corporation have the major interest, being the authority responsible for roads and planning and it is open to the corporation to secure such co-ordination of action as they consider desirable. In my reply to Deputy Moore I mentioned that a committee of senior officials established by the corporation co-ordinates action in relation to traffic in the Dublin area and that the committee includes representatives of the Dublin local authorities, the Garda, CIE and my Department. Further steps on this general line may be considered taking account in particular of section 62 of the Road Traffic Act, 1968.
I do not see that any advantage would be gained by pursuing other suggestions, which are not in line with the practical situation.
Would the Minister agree that notwithstanding tentative attempts on his part to co-ordinate the work of the various authorities there seems to be at the moment a complete breakdown between Dublin Corporation, which is under his tutelage——
It is not.
——Dublin County Council, CIE, the Garda authorities and the Minister's Department?
This seems to be a speech, Deputy.
I would ask the Minister to seriously consider the setting up of a statutory traffic authority, something which is quite normal in a major urban area of this size in any part of the world.
I am satisfied that there is a considerable amount of co-ordination and that this committee is working well.
There is not much evidence of it.
We have traffic congestion. That is due to the incompatibility of the capacity of the streets system and the number of vehicle owners who want to use the streets.
Is the main problem not that the local authorities do not know what amount of money the Government are prepared to spend on roads and bridges around the city and county of Dublin to relieve this traffic and because they cannot plan——
That does not arise on this question.
It certainly arises and the Minister knows it.
On the contrary the local authorities have been told to prepare their plans and submit them to the Government and they have been told that Government policy recognises the need for this.
Is it not a fact that we have been told time and again that there is no Government plan for expenditure on this type of work over a period of ten years?
If it is Dublin County Council the Deputy is referring to it is very easy to explain the reason for the inadequacy of the roads system in Dublin County Council.
There are too many Fine Gael people on it? Is that it? The Minister has said that before.
It is because of the fact that that particular local authority refused to utilise the money that was made available to it for this purpose.
When?
When it was run by the Fine Gael Party.
(Interruptions.)
Is it not a fact that it took you eight years to make up your mind about an engineer's salary in County Dublin?
Order. Would Deputy Clinton allow Deputy Dr. O'Connell to put a supplementary question?
Will the Minister state whether Dublin Corporation have submitted a plan to him, if so when and whether he has approved it?
Not a complete plan, no, but they will, I have no doubt.
When?
When they have it ready.