Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Taoiseach highlighted earlier, we have tragically lost 97 people on our roads this year, which is 12 more than at this time last year. We urgently need to act to avoid further loss of life. I have long advocated for the creation of a road safety commissioner with the authority and resources to deliver on our commitment to zero deaths by 2050. The chair of the RSA has said there is merit in exploring that concept. I am quoting her directly here:

It would be better if we had more powers to bring all the actors [in the road safety space] onto the one page. I would like to see a more all-of-government approach, real commitment if we are going to reverse this trend.

Just last Thursday, the CEO of the RSA told the Committee of Public Accounts that he also can see the benefit of one powerful entity "having the funding, the remit and the statutory duty to do all of what is required ... [in] a more joined-up, single approach to road safety". I wish the Minister of State, Deputy Lawless, every success. I believe he will be excellent in that role. I am asking the Taoiseach to sit down with him and act decisively and swiftly on the deep reform of the RSA that is urgently required.

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