Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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The ongoing scale of death as a result of road traffic accidents in rural Ireland was again brought home to us in the past week with a number of tragedies around the country. Hardly a week goes by in rural Ireland in which there is not a fatal accident on a secondary road. While there are many factors involved, I raise this matter to draw attention to the need for clear road markings and signage as I am aware of a number of cases in which these have been factors in road deaths.

I wish to read into the record a letter I received from a family bereaved as a result of such a tragedy:

On the 22/4/06 our daughter Eileen Keane and boyfriend Trevor Chute were in a fatal accident at Ardoughter, Ballyduff, Tralee, Co. Kerry. There was no signage or road markings at this junction.

This accident was investigated by . . . PSV inspector at Tralee Garda Station and [an official from] "Kerry Co Council". The inquest was to be heard on 20 October 2006 but was cancelled while a file was sent to the DPP. [There was another vehicle involved.]

The night before Eileen's inquest our liaison officer [at Tralee Garda Station] explained procedures to take place on the 2 Feb 2007. We were led to believe that the investigating officer . . . would be present. His findings nor [those of the Kerry County Council official] who both witnessed the scene were not read out.

[The Kerry County Council official] was at the scene at approx 10.40 pm. The Garda never informed us of our tragic loss which took place at approx 9.40 pm. We got a text from our daughter Marion that there had been a crash. This was confirmed at 11.00 pm. [when we contacted Listowel Garda Station and found out that our daughter Eileen was dead along with her boyfriend Trevor].

Some period after the inquest and tragic loss of Eileen we went looking for answers. We were seeking transparency and accountability. We have wrote numerous correspondence to Kerry Co Council [and] each time our requests have been refused. We have also written to other Government bodies that refer us back to Kerry Co. Council (still no answers).

The parents have aired some of their views, and those of their family, on local radio and in the local papers. They said it is like being in a maze with no way out and that they are still looking for closure and would be grateful for any little help on this long, lonely and never-ending road. The letter was signed by Richard and Kay Keane.

A number of years ago I dealt with a similar case in County Mayo. Again, it took years before there was a resolution, or the family in question got justice. It is vital that road signage and markings are laid out clearly, especially on the more dangerous roads where vehicles are likely to travel at higher speeds, despite the roads on which they are travelling, and where there is a more than the usual number of hazards. It is also important that the relevant authorities take responsibility for the maintenance of roads and road markings as, unfortunately, this has been a matter of dispute in certain cases.

People who have lost loved ones in tragic circumstances, such as the parents who wrote the above letter, are entitled to answers. Unfortunately, because of bureaucracy and what would appear to be non-activity by the local authorities and Government bodies, there has been a passing of the buck from one to the other. People need answers and they are entitled to them. They have lost loved ones and they continue to grieve.

The father and mother who wrote the letter to which I have referred say they are looking for closure on this long, lonely and never-ending road and that it is like being in a maze. Their situation can be replicated throughout the country where people have lost loved ones on lonely country roads on which there is a lack of signage and proper markings for which nobody is prepared to take responsibility.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Ferris for raising the matter. There has been a 20% drop in deaths on Irish roads since the launch of the Government's first road safety strategy in 1998. This has been achieved despite a 52% increase in the number of vehicles on our roads. Over the past year we have seen a distinct improvement in our road safety performance with 2007 resulting in the lowest number of road deaths in 40 years.

My reply to the Deputy is very much from a strategic point of view and I accept that sometimes quoting statistics is of very little value to people like the Deputy's constituents who have had a tragedy in the family. One death is one too many. The reply may not give comfort to the family about which the Deputy spoke.

The collective goal of all of those involved in the promotion and delivery of road safety policies is to ensure that the improvements achieved in recent years are sustained and built on. Significant initiatives realised over the lifetime of the two previous road safety strategies and, in particular, over the last two years, include the extension of penalty points and fixed charge systems, stronger legislation, mandatory roadside alcohol testing, increased levels of enforcement and, in September 2006, the establishment of the Road Safety Authority.

The road safety strategy for the period 2007-12 was launched last October and sets out the direction on road safety for the next five years. It is the outcome of detailed research and consultation with stakeholders by the Road Safety Authority. The purpose of the strategy is to reduce death and injuries on all Irish roads and in doing so, bring us into line with best practice countries. It will consolidate the reductions in deaths in 2006 and 2007.

It is estimated that in the lifetime of this strategy, approximately 400 lives will be saved and Ireland will move closer to becoming one of the best practice countries in the EU.

The development of the strategy by the Road Safety Authority, following a comprehensive public consultation process, has the support of the public. A total of 126 actions are outlined and the focus is on delivery and outcomes with built-in targets and accountability. The strategy addresses and puts in place actions to deliver many of the items which people have called for in recent years and which have a proven road safety dividend. Indeed, many of the actions set out in the strategy are either directly or indirectly focused on improving road safety on rural roads. I heard what the Deputy said about road signs and road markings.

The core objective of the strategy is to reduce road deaths to no greater than 60 fatalities per million population by the end of 2012, with demonstrable downward reductions in each year of the strategy. One of the actions set out in the strategy to reduce road deaths relates to changes in our driver licensing system. The introduction of a new learner permit on 30 October for all new first time licence applicants as well as those renewing their provisional licence after that date is a key building stone in the introduction of a graduated licensing system for Ireland. The aim of the system is to reduce the number of collisions, deaths and injuries among novice drivers during the learning process, particularly the high risk 17 to 24 year old age group.

The strategy also identifies the need to legislate for and introduce a reduction in the legal blood alcohol level for drivers. The Government has accepted that recommendation. The precise level to which the blood alcohol level will be lowered will follow consideration of the outcome of research being carried out by the Road Safety Authority. The target date for completion of this measure in the strategy is the second quarter of 2009.

On the engineering side, the National Roads Authority will invest €1.25 billion for each year of the strategy on major inter-urban projects and will develop a new inter-urban network of motorways and dual carriageways from Dublin to Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford by 2010. However, I realise that the Deputy is referring to non-national roads and local roads. I accept that almost 45% of deaths are caused on those roads, whereas much of the investment is going into the motorways and the national roads. The aspects about which the Deputy speaks relate to local roads and there are too many deaths on those roads. Those items do not cost millions or trillions of euro and they should be carried out. I cannot quote the specifics out of the 126 headings of the strategy which refer to that, but I heard what the Deputy has said and I will report back his points.