Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 April 2005
561 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Transport when the long overdue guidelines on metric speed limits will be issued to local authorities; the reason these guidelines were not issued prior to the introduction of metric limits on 20 January 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10483/05]
View answerThe Road Traffic Act 2004 was enacted on 22 December 2004. Section 9 of this Act came into effect on 20 January 2005 and sets out a new process for the making of speed limit by-laws by the elected members of county and city councils following the changeover to metric speed limits.
The 2004 Act also provides that the Minister for Transport may issue guidelines relating to the making of special speed limit by-laws. Draft guidelines to assist local authorities were forwarded to representatives of the county and city managers association, the National Roads Authority, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Garda Síochána for their views. In addition, my Department engaged in a consultation process with county and city councils on the draft guidelines during February and into March. That process has been completed and the guidelines are being amended to reflect the views submitted to my Department.
I will be issuing the statutory guidelines to the local authorities on a formal basis very shortly.
