New speed limit proposed on 'lethal' road in Kilkenny amid public outrage

Kilkenny County Council is moving to slash the limit on a local stretch of the ‘lethal’ N25 to 80km/h.

The update comes not long after gardaí confirmed that 914 speeding fines issued to drivers on the road are being revoked due to human error.

The proposed reduction to 80km/h between Luffany Roundabout and 500m north of Ballinclare Junction was brought before elected members on Monday by Senior Engineer Seamus Kavanagh.

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The meeting heard that an 80km/h limit on that stretch would reduce speed disparity between cars and HGVs and cut overtaking. Collision rates there are ‘up to twice’ the national average.

However, the limit would not drop to 80km/h along the entire corridor.

Reducing the speed on climbing lanes was deemed ‘unreasonable due to road safety and operational performance’, and that section ‘has twice below average collision rates’.

An amended by-laws public consultation opens today (Wednesday, July 23) and runs until 4pm on September 4.

The new speed limit proposal will also be sent to the Garda Commissioner, and consent for approval is being sought from Transport Infrastructure Ireland. This is required before bringing by-laws for adoption.

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Back in June, almost 500 concerned local people gathered at a public meeting to demand immediate safety measures on this stretch of road.

The meeting heard that the N25 from Waterford to Glenmore has claimed 12 lives in 20 years — and left many more injured, bereaved and traumatised.

News had broken before that meeting from local TDs John McGuinness and Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere that Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien “intends to fund the project next year to complete the route selection on this road”.

Despite this development, the meeting was told that even with this confirmation, completion of any new road would be at least six years away.

In the meantime, the demand locally for urgent safety measures, including the lowering of the speed limit, is loud and clear.

A follow-up public meeting on the N25 road safety campaign will be held in September.

FINES FIASCO
Last Friday, An Garda Síochána commenced the process of writing to motorists to inform them that fines and penalty points issued to them for speeding offences on the N25 in Kilkenny detected by the static speed safety camera system between May 30, 2025 and June 30, 2025 are being revoked. 914 speeding fixed charge notices were issued over this period.

Of the 914 fixed charge notices issued - 128 notices were paid and penalty points applied, 56 were paid however the error was identified prior to penalty points being applied, and of the remaining 730 notices that were issued, no payment was made prior to the error being identified, therefore no penalty points were applied.

An Garda Síochána stated that they take full responsibility for this error and have completed a review of all offence locations associated with static and average safety cameras.

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This error only impacted the static camera on the N25.

Additional oversight has been introduced in relation to the verification of offence locations on the Fixed Charge Notice processing system prior to any additional static/average safety cameras going live.

“This error is very much regretted,” a garda spokesperson said.

“An Garda Síochána continues to work steadfastly with all our partners in road safety endeavouring to reduce the human toll of road deaths and serious injuries on our roads.”

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