Councillors in Kildare to seek advice on implementing Jake’s Law - Kilkenny Live

Councillors in the Clane-Maynooth Municipal District of Kildare have agreed to seek legal advice regarding the implementation of Jake’s Law.

The legislation is named after Jake Brennan, a six-year-old who was tragically knocked down and died in Kilkenny in 2014 after being hit by a car in his home estate.

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The motion was brought up at the most recent MD meeting, held on the morning of Friday, December 2, by Fianna Fáil Cllr Naoise Ó Cearúil.

It was previously heard at a full Kildare County Council (KCC) meeting that the relevant Speed Limit Bylaws Review was rejected.

Cllr Ó Cearúil said that he wished to 'detangle' the Law from the county’s Speed Limit Bye-Laws.

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"I do not see any reason why we can’t enact Jake’s Law in this county, and within the MD," he told those in attendance. "We should go ahead and enact it."

Cllr Ó Cearúil added: "The fact that we have been talking bout this since 2014 is, to be frank, a little embarrasing.

"Unless we get a satisfactory answer about why we can’t enact it, then I propose we take a vote on it."

His sentiments were agreed upon by Fine Gael Cllrs Brendan Weld and Tim Durkan, with the latter saying: "I don’t like this suggestion that in some estates, it is the law, but isn’t in other estates."

Independent Cllr Pádraig McEvoy added that while he would not be against a vote, there is a procedure in place in which they could look at the issue, adding: "Our MD is not a republic."

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Green Party Cllr Peter Hamilton said that while he agreed that there was a 'statuory process' in place, he said that he was certain that the councillors in the MD 'have a choice' to enact the Law in the near-future.

A representative for KCC told members that they are currently discussing the matter with the Department of Transport, and that he too wishes to 'detangle' the county Bye-Laws in order to make implement Jake’s Law in the MD.