Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will provide the deployment figures to the committee. I do not have them now. The fixed wing aircraft does need replacement. It is one of the areas we have highlighted for consideration in the capital review. It will have to take its place among all of the other priorities. Obviously, safety and ensuring that it continues to be fit for purpose is the key factor.

In respect of GoSafe, the Deputy will be aware that there was a new contract for the provision and operation of a safety camera network. That was announced in August 2016. The contract was awarded following a public procurement competition. The contract for the safety camera service is with Road Safety Operations Ireland, trading as GoSafe. The new safety camera contract is an agreement between the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Commissioner and Road Safety Operations Ireland. It is for six years with an option to extend for a further 12 months. The last contract expired in November 2016. There were some transitional arrangements that took us forward. A review of the safety camera service was carried out prior to the end of the current contract, culminating in the recommendation in 2015 that arrangements be put in place to immediately re-tender for this service. The review was conducted by the safety camera project board, comprising representatives of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Road Safety Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, An Garda Síochána and my Department. An evaluation committee was established to evaluate the tenders. The evaluation committee included representatives from the Office of Government Procurement, the Garda, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and was chaired by the Department of Justice and Equality. Advice was given.

The principal objective of the road safety camera network is to change driver behaviour, making roads safer, rather than to generate revenue. It is about safety. GoSafe is paid based on a fixed, hourly rate for the number of hours of surveying and monitoring. There is no financial incentive for GoSafe in increased detection rates. That is an important point. The new safety camera contract will be funded from traffic fixed charge notice income as is the case with the existing contract.