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Welcome to the latest edition of AA News, the online newsletter from AA Ireland. Its been a cold winter in more ways than one. There have been some bad road crashes even as we congratulate ourselves on improved road safety. Car sales are down in the economic gloom but I hope there are also reasons to be cheerful. I hope the articles are of interest to you. One prediction I can make about 2009 is that speed limits are going to annoy us once again, especially as speed cameras are due later in the year.If you have any views or any suggestions as to topics that we should cover please email me directly by clicking here publicaffairs@aaireland.ie

Conor Faughnan, Director of Policy, AA Ireland

We all have stories of inappropriate speed limits. A boreen with grass up the middle with an 80km/h limit, a large regional road with hard shoulders with a 60km/h limit. It seems like madness but a lot of it is only a recent phenomenon. Most of these inappropriate speed limits date from our conversion to metric speeds in 2005, which brought speed limit signage to all roads for the first time. Now that speed cameras are to be installed on the roads the AA is again collecting examples of bad speed limits countrywide in the hope of getting them corrected... and you can help.

Oil prices have fallen dramatically in recent weeks, yet in the last fortnight petrol and diesel prices have gone up. What is the story? Are we being ripped off and is anyone doing anything about it? Conor Faughnan looks again at one of the most common queries that come in to AA Public Affairs.

Seen an 09 plate yet? During most Januarys in the past 10 years, you could expect to see shiny new cars with the plastic still on the seats within the first hours of the New Year. But with the current downturn, you'd be hard pressed to see one from one end of the week to the other.

Hats off to coach company JJ Kavanagh & Sons, who announced last week that they will be the first bus company to offer free on-board Wi-Fi internet access to passengers on their coach services.

The Road Safety Authority is considering the introduction of a Graduated Driving Licence regime for Ireland. In effect this would mean greater restrictions for Learner Drivers and may also mean that after passing the test there is still a restricted or probationary period before a driver enjoys all the privileges of a full licence. Some of the ideas proposed are sensible and may work well; others, despite appearing attractive, are non-starters.

The January sales season has ended and seemingly endless refrains of "buy now!" and "interest free" are thankfully fading from our TVs and radios. And for those who like to savour a relaxing, unpressurised shopping, Kildare Village offers a unique experience.

2009 could be a positive year for the Irish Hotel industry as customers are being offered very good value to holiday at home, according to the AA. Top quality AA-graded establishments have made a luxurious local getaway more affordable. Hotels can win new repeat customers this year by keeping their standards high.

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You may have read during the week that Dubliners are facing congestion charges within three years. This is extremely unlikely as even the most zealous anti-car fundamentalists must admit that Dublin is many years away from having the public transport resources to make it worthwhile. Nevertheless it's another attempt by government to chip away at motorists' resistance to what would be an unreasonable, unfair and unproductive measure. Sadly, we haven't heard the last of it.