S.I. No. 176/1979:

ROAD TRAFFIC (GENERAL SPEED LIMIT) REGULATIONS, 1979.

ROAD TRAFFIC (GENERAL SPEED LIMIT) REGULATIONS, 1979.

The Minister for the Environment in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 5 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 (No. 24 of 1961), and section 44A of the said Act, as inserted by section 24 of the Road Traffic Act, 1968 (No. 25 of 1968) hereby makes the following Regulations:--

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (General Speed Limit) Regulations, 1979.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 21st day of May, 1979.

3. The Road Traffic (General Speed Limit) Regulations, 1975 ( S.I. No. 55 of 1975 ) are hereby revoked.

4. In these Regulations,

"road" means a public road,

"general speed limit", "special speed limit" and "built-up area speed limit" have the meanings respectively assigned to them in Part IV of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 .

5. There shall be a general speed limit of fifty-five miles per hour on all roads other than roads to which a built-up area speed limit or a special speed limit applies.

6. There shall be excepted from the general speed limit prescribed in article 5 of these Regulations the following--

( a ) ambulances,

( b ) fire brigade vehicles, and

( c ) vehicles used by members of the Garda Síochána in the performance of their duties as such members.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for the Environment, this 17th day of May, 1979.

SYLVESTER BARRETT,

Minister for the Environment.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations prescribe a general speed limit of 55 m.p.h. in place of the existing limit of 60 m.p.h. in respect of all public roads other than public roads to which a built-up area speed limit or a special speed limit applies. Ambulances and fire brigade vehicles and Garda Síochána vehicles while being used in the course of duty are excepted from the general speed limit.