asked the Minister for the Environment when he proposes to approve the speed limit changes for County Cork.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Cork Speed Limits.
8.
This proposal is being examined in conjunction with a number of other proposals of a similar nature. A decision on the Cork proposal will be made as soon as possible.
Would the Minister indicate when the application for these changes in the county were received in his Department? Rather than standing up again trying to ask another supplementary question, I ask him if he agrees with me that the system introduced in the mid-seventies giving, as we were told then, local democracy and an opportunity to be involved in these things has failed. Will he have the matter re-examined so as to have a more expeditious way of dealing with requests for speed limit changes? I am sure, from the reply to the first part of the question, that the date on which the proposals were sent from Cork County Council to the Department indicates that sanction for this has taken too long.
In August 1984 full proposals for a third revision of speed limits in the Cork city and county area were submitted to the Department. Part of the submissions had been made in December 1983 and January 1984 and some other proposals were still on hands for other parts of the county for the second cycle of revisions. As I said, this is the third cycle that we are looking at now. I can understand the Deputy's feeling of some frustration at the length of time it has taken to look at these proposals and have them agreed. I will take up the matter again with my officials.