Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 April 2026
377. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport to confirm whether the default 30km/h speed limit provisions of the Road Traffic Act 2024 remain available for commencement by Ministerial order; the circumstances, if any, under which he will consider commencing these provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30377/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing my direction, the Department of Transport issued a Circular to local authorities on 16 October 2025, directing them to implement built-up and urban area speed limits no later than 31 March 2027, and in accordance with updated ‘Speed Limit Guidelines’.
Whilst the recommendation of the ‘Speed Limit Review’ intended that speed limit changes in built-up and urban areas would be implemented by way of the introduction of a ‘default speed limit of 30km/h’, it was subsequently recognised that this would be difficult to achieve in the short-term, as there is presently no definition of an urban area in legislation for the purpose of setting speed limits. To introduce a default speed limit of 30km/h in all urban areas would first necessitate updated legislation, and this would take an additional period of time, thus delaying the proposed implementation of speed limit changes in urban areas.
Furthermore, whilst the ‘Local Government Act, 2001’, has defined 85 built-up areas nationally, the Central Statistics Office has identified 867 urban areas nationally. A change in the ‘built-up area speed limit, from 50km/h to 30km/h would only have an impact on 85 of the 867+ urban areas nationally and therefore ‘special speed limit bye-laws’ would still be required for the remaining 782+ urban areas.
The proposed speed limit changes in built-up and urban areas will be implemented by way of ‘special speed limit bye-laws’, rather than by way of a change in the ‘default speed limit’, at this time. Accordingly, in respect of those roads in built-up and urban areas where local authorities propose to change existing speed limits, it will be necessary for each local authority to undertake a statutory public consultation process and consider all representations, in accordance with the requirements of the ‘Road Traffic Act 2004’, as amended. This period of statutory public consultation will provide an opportunity for members of the public and all stakeholders to engage with the process and to make representations to the local authorities and the elected members on the proposed speed limit changes.
As the making of ‘special speed limit bye-laws’ is a reserved function, the speed limits on roads in built-up and urban areas will only be changed where a majority of the elected members vote to do so.
Responsibility now rests with the local authorities to implement these speed limit changes. As you will be aware 30km/h speed limits are not new, they have already been implemented on many roads in built-up and urban areas nationally in recent years, including for example, Dublin City, Cork City, Limerick City, Galway City, Dundalk, and on such roads across the administrative area of Dun Laoghaire – Rathdown County Council.
Furthermore, there has been extensive implementation of 30km/h speed limits in housing estates in many local authorities nationally over the past ten years, supported by funding from the Department of Transport. Therefore, this phase of speed limit changes in built-up and urban areas will build on the positive work that local authorities have already carried out in this area.
