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Minister admits 'difficulties' in bringing in law for minimum passing distance when overtaking cyclists

A new law to require drivers to allow one metre when passing cyclists on roads was announced in February.

THERE ARE LEGAL difficulties in introducing a minimum passing distance law for overtaking cyclists, according to Minister for Transport Shane Ross.

In February, the minister said new measures  for the minimum passing distance for cyclists would soon be introduced.

At the time, he said the new law will require drivers to allow one metre when passing cyclists on roads with a speed limit under 50 km/h and 1.5 metre on roads with a limit of 50km/h or above.

Ross said the new measures were needed as he had become increasingly concerned about the rise in cyclists fatalities on Irish roads.

In 2017, there were 15 cyclists killed, which was a 50% increase on 2016.

However, some six months later, no such measures have been introduced.

Speaking today, Ross said he had encountered difficulties in the Attorney General’s office over introducing such a law here, adding that he is now looking at other ways of doing it.

Today, Fianna Fáil said it plans to introduce its own legislation for a minimum passing distance to the Dáil in September.

The party transport spokesperson, Robert Troy, said he did not believe the new legislation would be “unworkable” adding that 26 States in the US, as well as Australia, France, Belgium and Portugal have introduced such a law.

“It is not unenforceable,” he said, adding that he does not think Minister Ross as “the will” to implement the legislation, despite his Cabinet colleague, Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty, championing the legislation.

“Excuse me if I don’t take Minster Ross’ advice,” said Troy today, highlighting that the minister tried to block efforts by Minister Doherty and Fine Gael’s Ciaran Cannon to introduce cycling legislation earlier this year.

In a bid to protect cyclists on Irish roads, Cannon and Doherty published a Bill to force motorists to obey a minimum passing distance when overtaking cyclists.

It proposed that drivers who do not comply with the new rules would face an €80 fine and three penalty points. In the end, the minister conceded to introduce his own government measures, which have now been held up.

Fianna Fáil said it plans to advance its own legislation on the issue in the autumn.

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    Mute Daffers
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    Jun 23rd 2011, 12:55 PM

    Wow. To be the 7th least failed state in the world is mindblowing… simply for the thought that most are in a worse position than us!

    58
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    Mute Alex simon
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    Jun 23rd 2011, 1:35 PM

    We are better than canada! And the usa not bad

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    Mute Treasa Lynch
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    Jun 23rd 2011, 1:21 PM

    Am I reading that right? Only three other EU members are less failed states than Ireland is?

    God that must really irritate the crew who consider us a complete banana republic.

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    Mute Kevin O Sullivan
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    Jun 23rd 2011, 1:03 PM

    i thought everything in the nordic countries was top banna. seeings they are always held up as the ones to be like

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    Mute Claire O'Dwyer
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    Jun 23rd 2011, 1:09 PM

    That article doesn’t make a whole pile of sense..

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    Mute fizi_water
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    Jun 23rd 2011, 2:57 PM

    This ranking is not about quality of life, etc. like some comments suggest you read that. It’s about peace and military risks in particular countries.

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    Mute Ryan Murphy
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    Jun 23rd 2011, 6:11 PM

    I suppose it’s “our” fault that seven of the ten worst countries are in Africa.

    Haiti was a cesspit ever before the tragedy there, sadly, and now they’ve turned to raping one another.

    Iraq and Afghanistan are a whole other story!

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    Mute fitszpatrick
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    Jun 24th 2011, 12:10 AM

    Hail the baldy Nazis dem dam nigras don’t have a clue

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    Mute Ryan Murphy
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    Jun 24th 2011, 1:23 AM

    You’re some gowl.

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    Mute David Higgins
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    Jun 23rd 2011, 6:05 PM

    I hope we can move up near Switzerland at some stage. Tighter borders, lower-taxes, and they have their own currency!!!

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    Mute Dave Finn
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    Jun 23rd 2011, 11:10 PM

    Lower taxes? Really? Any mid Europe states i’ve lived in were thieves when it came to tax! (admittedly i’ve not lived in Switzerland, but it is one of my favourite places!)

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    Mute Shaafici Cali
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    Jun 23rd 2011, 1:40 PM

    really this is propaganda somalia is not leading top list there is bit exageration we aware of that somalia is devastated country and failure state indicating humanitarian crises and human rights abuses ,killing ,abducting, hijacking raping but there is still hope to survive this condition we are not hopeless our people still struggling to control there live style and to restore the country peace and stability so that we are not top list becouse this means no hope

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    Mute fizi_water
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    Jun 23rd 2011, 3:03 PM

    Sorry, but what is actually your point, I struggle to understand? Thanks.

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    Mute wayupnorth
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    Jun 23rd 2011, 4:11 PM

    I think the point was that “there is hope”.

    And yes, if other countries stopped interfering, there probably would be. For example:
    “The United States has quietly poured weapons and military advisers into Ethiopia, whose recent invasion of Somalia opened a new front in the Bush administration’s war on terrorism …” etc etc. 1/8/2007

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