asked the Minister for Local Government if he will introduce proposals for legislation designed to repair defects and omissions in the present law relating to the use of roads generally, and specifically regarding the differentiation of major from minor roads, and, if so, whether he proposes to proceed with such proposals, which were under consideration in his Department during the term of office of his predecessor.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Use of Roads.
Proposals for the amendment of the Road Traffic Act, 1933, are still under consideration by the Departments concerned. As to the specific point relating to the differentiation of major and minor roads, if the provisions of Section 37 of the Local Government Bill, 1954, at present before the House, are enacted, it will be possible to make satisfactory regulations dealing with traffic signs. These will enable the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána to take such steps as he considers desirable to enforce Article 9 of the by-laws already made under that section (the General By-laws for the Control of Traffic, 1937) or such amending by-laws under Section 147 of the Road Traffic Act, 1933, as he considers necessary.
I understood a Bill had been drafted a couple of years ago for the purpose of giving effect to the wishes of a previous Minister for Local Government.
A Bill has been discussed here over many weeks. If that Bill had been enacted we would now be in a position to enable the commissioner to make the necessary by-laws.
I am not referring now to the differentiation as between major and minor roads but to the many other defects in the road traffic code.
There is no Bill that I know of.
The Minister knows of no draft of a Bill?