Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Ceann Comhairle is right about the issue of driver distraction. Something that is being discussed and researched at present is car design and how it has evolved. It is as big an issue in terms of driver distraction and is being flagged by many researchers. The European Commission and the wider European research community are assessing this in the context of standards in car design.

I thank all of the Deputies for the very useful discussion. It is particularly relevant as we all work to reverse the very serious trend of fatalities on our roads. Road safety is a matter which affects us all. Every citizen is entitled to feel safe on our roads. I assure the Dáil that the Government remains committed to reversing this trend we have seen in 2023 and 2024.

As I said in my opening remarks, the four main causes of road fatalities are speed, intoxicated driving, non-wearing of seat belts and distracted road use. Through the Road Traffic Bill that will be signed into law by the President shortly, we will legislate for safer default speed limits, harsher penalties for those caught committing multiple driver offences and mandatory drug testing at the scene of a collision. This new legislation will help to encourage safer driving behaviours in all four areas of concern.

In terms of other immediate actions, the Road Safety Authority is leading to progress solutions on sharing collision data, which has been flagged by many Deputies. If the feedback is that legislative change is required, we will progress it urgently. We can all agree that data protection issues on this matter should not be a barrier to sharing life-saving information and the appropriate interventions required. An additional €3 million in funding will be allocated to road safety campaigns. This will help to impress on all road users the need to pay attention and take responsibility throughout their daily lives when operating a vehicle.

I want to see extended and expanded education programmes. A new transition year programme will be rolled out nationwide by September so we can reach young adults at the point in their lives when many of them will be beginning their driving journeys. I am also keen to see the continuation of the important work on a new driver testing curriculum to make sure it is relevant and future-proofed for new drivers on our roads. As Members said, it has been decades since that was properly modernised and updated. It is time it happened.

There is no doubt that enforcement is critical to deterring those who violate the laws on our roads. To that end, we are working with road safety partners in Transport Infrastructure Ireland and An Garda Síochána to roll out additional average speed and static cameras as part of the development of the national road safety cameras strategy. This is in conjunction with the already approved increase in Go-Safe hours. We are acutely aware of the impacts of specific behaviours, as Deputy Ó Cathasaigh said, such as red light breaking and people completely ignoring the law. This contributes to fatalities and serious injuries, not only for drivers and passengers but also for vulnerable road users who are of central importance in all our communities.

I will speak to the wider themes covered by Deputies. Most spoke about the three core areas of road safety, the first of which is enforcement. I have acknowledged publicly and in this Chamber previously the serious concerns I have about the threshold and level of enforcement, as well as the numbers attached to roads policing units. People must perceive that they can or will be caught. I acknowledge what Deputies said on that issue. I have been explicit and direct with the Garda Commissioner and in my discussions with the Minister for Justice about the need for strengthened enforcement on our roads so that there is improved visibility and levels of policing.

Certain Deputies mentioned their concerns, set out in the Irish Independent, about the roads policing units not being on our roads between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. That is a serious concern. The Commissioner needs to set out a specific policing plan relating to 24-7 coverage. In addition to the roads policing units, we need to have enforcement 24 hours per day. We cannot have gaps if we are to strengthen levels of enforcement again. That is why we need clarity about the key performance indicators, KPIs, on the policing plans relating to roads policing in particular. It is also why I acknowledge the serious concerns that have been raised relating to that particular period of the day. The Commissioner should set that out and clarify it for the public so there is no gap in policing during particularly dangerous parts of the day when there may be more intoxicated driving, for example.

Enforcement levels need to improve. We saw a reduction in a number of the key metrics between 2019 and 2023, despite increased numbers of people holding driving licences and driving vehicles on our roads. That is why a key part of a Government discussion earlier in the week was about having measurable policing plans that will ensure improved enforcement levels. The additional 75 gardaí that will be deployed to roads policing units this year, and again next year, will help. We also must have measurable improvement in the levels of enforcement, which reduced in that particular period. That is of concern to me.

Other areas mentioned, in addition to enforcement, related to engineering and maintenance. As I said, through the Department of Transport, we have shared much of the assessment and analysis of the collision data with local authorities. They then applied to the Department of Transport for specific road safety interventions. There should not be a barrier to such sharing, which is why we are trying to resolve the issue expeditiously.

There was also a wider discussion of people's views on the Road Safety Authority. That is why we are conducting an independent review of the RSA. The authority has been in place for 20 years. All State agencies require external reviews and assessments of structures, funding and service provision. Interim recommendations will be brought to us in May and we will bring a reform of the Road Safety Authority to the Government this summer. This will ensure the RSA is best placed to implement the wider road safety strategy. We have had a public consultation with feedback from many people in communities and the wider stakeholders who have a keen interest in road safety. We want to ensure the RSA is best placed to fulfil its road safety mandate that is laid out in legislation.

Regarding Deputy Ó Cathasaigh’s point, to be clear, the CEO of Donegal County Council attends the road safety committee on which the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and I sit. Anne Graham from the National Transport Authority and Peter Walsh from Transport Infrastructure Ireland also sit on it. There are representatives from the Health and Safety Authority, HSA, the Courts Service of Ireland and the Medical Bureau of Road Safety. There is, therefore, a broad range of State agencies on the committee engaged in a collaborative effort and providing insight into their respective responsibility for the road safety mandate in the State. Obviously, it is of utmost importance that all elements of the State response are coherent.

I appreciate the constructive suggestions that many Deputies made. Much of this revolves around the three key areas of enforcement, engineering and maintenance and road safety interventions. These play an important role in our capital investment. It is also a matter of education and awareness and making sure the Road Safety Authority, along with our wider education system, is best placed to fulfil its mandate.

Regarding the reforms we are bringing through in the context of the speed limit review, guidance will be issued to local authorities shortly to synchronise an approach based on co-operation across all local authorities. Speed limit reviews will be conducted. There is a devolved function in this regard, so councillors can shape the outcomes of that in the context of the guidance that will be produced. We will be working on the other aspects of the Road Traffic Bill, which was progressed in the Seanad last week.

I acknowledge the work done by officials and stakeholders across government and by members of the community who have a keen interest in road safety. We are proceeding on multiple fronts to continue the delivery of the road safety strategy through new priorities that were identified earlier this year, as well as through new legislation. Reducing road deaths and serious injuries will only be achieved if we all highlight the importance of road safety and have conversations on this topic in our homes, with our families and friends and in our places of work.

We must call out unacceptable behaviour. People's tolerance of unacceptable behaviour is too high. Too many people speak of being "just over" the speed limit and having “just done something”. They "just" broke the law and we need to call out unacceptable behaviour, such as that which potentially infringes on the rights of a pedestrian or cyclist. People need to comply with the law. Even if it takes an extra few minutes, it is better that we all arrive alive and protect individuals and vulnerable people on our roads. There is a culture whereby people dismiss the need to comply with the appropriate speed limit. Many of us travel through towns and villages where cars are still parked beside packed pubs and people are taking a chance. That is completely unacceptable. We need to re-emphasise and rebuild a culture of compliance because it has slipped in recent years. We see increased numbers of people admitting in behavioural surveys that they have consumed drugs or alcohol. That produces a level of risk where they are distracted or speeding and they will kill themselves, their passengers or other vulnerable road users.

I reassure the Dáil of my commitment to road safety and to supporting the efforts to bring about the changes needed to reduce unnecessary death and injury to all who use our roads. I appreciate the constructive contributions.

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