Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I thank the representatives of An Garda Síochána. Anything that can be done to reduce the number of road fatalities is a good thing.

Anything that could be done to try to reduce the number of road fatalities would be welcome. Regardless of the colour of the vans or where they are based, the most important issue is that people are made aware of the speed at which they travel and that they try to reduce it. Anything that could be done in that regard is a good thing.

Mr. Twomey might be able to indicate whether it is urban legend or if there is a degree of truth in the following. It has been recounted to me that if a person fails to turn up in court for prosecution, he or she can use for defence a statement to the effect that he or she did not receive the summons in the post. It has been relayed to me that if they use that defence the case is essentially thrown out. There is an assumption that the person must receive the summons and if it is conveyed to the individual by way of standard post then the assumption cannot stand up in court because the person might not have received it. If that is the case, is there anything that could be done to mitigate the situation from the point of view of saying the assumption is taken for granted once the summons enters the postal system? The postal rule is that the letter becomes the property of the person to whom it is conveyed rather than the person from whom it is conveyed. If what I outlined were the case it would be worrying as it would be a serious waste of Garda resources if it had to hand out summonses. I do not say the situation I have outlined is true but I would welcome clarification.

On the 727 speed enforcement zones, could Mr. Twomey provide an indication of, typically, how often they are manned or policed? Other committee members might have a different view but I seem to see the same locations manned regularly, in particular on national primary roads – open and straight stretches of road that are prone to speed. There might be a tendency to put one’s foot down on the accelerator on such a road but it might not necessarily be the same type of road that claims so many lives. I refer to secondary and tertiary roads on which lives are lost in many cases because of the condition of the road or the nature of the driver.

Is the data compiled by the speed vans used to try to encourage local authorities and the National Roads Authority to carry out mitigating works? My understanding is that the approach being taken is based on enforcement, engineering and education. Enforcement is fine. That is what the Garda is doing but is the data used to suggest to local authorities that speed limits are wrong – too high or too low – or that work must be carried out?

It has been said in the context of dismissed cases that there is no differentiation between what is dismissed by virtue of an operational issue with An Garda Síochána and cases relating to Go Safe. Is it the intention to introduce categorisation to find out what is happening so that we know the situation? Everyone would agree that the investment by the State is significant. There is a lot of capital investment. Much money is involved. The company in question has returned its accounts. To ensure the individual and the road user is getting value for money and the Garda is getting value for money, is it the intention to break down the figures to see if it is possible to improve the situation?