The Transport Minister says he believes the system of setting speed limits here is too rigid.

Under the current law local authorities can only impose a 30, 50, 60, 80, 100 or 120 kilometres per hour limit.

Labour’s Tommy Broughan says he’s been campaigning for years for a 40 kilometres per hour limit in Dublin – not the 30 currently imposed in parts of the city centre.

Noel Dempsey’s refusing to get involved in the row over the speed limit, but says he’s willing to change the way local authorities must set such limits.

“That isn’t a problem at the time that they were drawn up; presumably…we’re talking about 120, 100, 80, 60, 50 and 30″ he said.

“I’m not sure that it needs to be as rigid as that”.

“I’m not sure…that I’d actually need to amend the Road Traffic Act; I think it might be possible to do it through regulations and I will have a look at that” he added.