Ms Liz O'Donnell:

I imagine that the next road safety strategy will build on the success we have had so far and will reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries in line with a European approach which aims to reduce the number of fatalities to zero.

That is very ambitious but as we are leaders in road safety, we can achieve very good targets to reduce fatalities and serious injuries.

The Covid-19 experience has changed the way we are using the roads already and we can see the number of pedestrians and cyclists - vulnerable road users - who are now allowed to share the road space with motor cars. That has happened very quickly because of the pandemic but we can build on that. Irish people will not go back to the old days of the car having the priority on the roads. Many children and other people are cycling to school and work, as well as recreationally, and this will continue. The new strategy must embrace the fact that people want to live in sustainable communities and societies while sharing the road safely. I look forward to that.