Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

Fatalities on our roads have fallen in recent years and the number of fatalities in 2008, at 279, was the lowest since records began. We are well on target to meet the overall strategy objective of reducing road deaths to no greater than 60 fatalities per 1 million of population by the end of 2012, which equates to 252 deaths per year.

While road safety advertising campaigns are particularly effective in keeping the road safety message to the fore, difficult Exchequer funding decisions have had to be made this year. The advertising budget of the Road Safety Authority, RSA, has been reduced from €3.4 million to €900,000 for 2009 as a result of cuts in advertising budgets which were imposed this year across all Departments and agencies. This is in the context of €32.8 million of Exchequer funding which is still being provided to the RSA for 2009. The RSA will continue to implement its programme of road safety awareness, education and research, with a budget of €4 million for the current year.

These remain important elements of the authority's statutory functions and are key to getting the road safety message to all road users - pedestrians, cyclists, car and commercial vehicle drivers - and to changing road user behaviour. Road safety remains a key priority and this commitment is underpinned by the road safety strategy 2007-2012. The latter has set the framework for reducing deaths and injuries on our roads through a series of 126 actions, each with a responsible agency and target date.

I understand the Deputy's concerns in respect of reduced Exchequer funding for the RSA. As stated, however, these are difficult times and difficult decisions have been made. Road safety in Ireland has benefited immensely from the involvement and drive of the RSA since its establishment in late 2006. I anticipate that the authority will continue to maximise the road safety agenda, even in the context of limited resources.

See this speech in context