Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We need an all-round approach to road safety to reverse the worrying trend of road deaths we have seen recently. The last time I spoke about this, in February, I drew attention to the fact that the manned deterrent on the roads needs to be increased, yet the ability to provide that increased Garda presence is hamstrung by the shortage of available gardaí. This was pointedly outlined in the recent confirmation to Deputy Martin Kenny that there has been an increase of just four gardaí on the roads policing unit since 2017. While I will not repeat myself, the Garda Commissioner has spoken of his plan to instruct all uninformed gardaí to do 30 minutes of traffic policing during every shift. This is welcome but apart from it just being a start and the need for that to be increased, we need to know the potential knock-on effects this may have on an already overstretched force.

To go back to the all-round approach, we need to see a better end-to-end approach, education, promotion, infrastructure and enforcement. That consists of education in and outside schools, given the worrying fact that 41% of those dying in road collisions are 30 or under. Additionally, the curriculum for the driver's test must also be reviewed, including a review of the minimum number of lessons. Any education and publicity measure needs to make an impact on the personal choice some drivers make in speeding, drug- and drink-driving and it needs to reach across all age groups.

My final point is about enforcement and environment, speeding-prone stretches of road and traffic management for estates. They all need to have traffic management measures with set standards and address the disparity of approach that can at times vary between local authority areas. People need to know the Department and RSA are on top of this and that risk is assessed and addressed promptly, not put off until public demand or worse makes action unavoidable. To conclude, bypass and upgrade works are needed across County Tipperary. The N24 has a notorious record. The councils concerned are forced to campaign for funding to progress to the next stage. This is indicative of a haphazard approach to our roads. I request action here and other notorious networks.

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