Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Transport the reasoning behind the cutting of the advertising budget for the Road Safety Authority; if there was an attempt to measure the way such a move would affect road safety; if there are other advertising budgets that could be cut to restore road advertising budgets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21157/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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We all accept that the number of road deaths last year dropped significantly. However, we are off target now and this has given rise to deep concern. As stated in respect of an earlier question, funding for regional and local roads has been reduced by €150 million. Due to the fact that overtime has been cut back, there is serious concern that there are not as many members of the Garda Traffic Corps patrolling our roads on Friday and Saturday nights as ought to be the case. Does the Minister agree the funding for the road safety campaign should have been ring-fenced? This publicity campaign does more than provide information, it actually saves lives.

There is a great deal of Government expenditure which could be reduced. However, there should not be any cutbacks in respect of road safety and saving lives. I ask the Minister to re-enter discussions with the RSA to identify cuts elsewhere in order that the authority might continue with its campaigns, which are effective and which help to save lives. We are heading into a dangerous period when more people will die as a result of the cutbacks in the number of gardaí, in Garda overtime and in the amount available for road surface dressing.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the question of Garda overtime is one for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I would be surprised if the dedicated traffic corps, which has 1,200 members and which was established following a commitment given in the programme for Government, was operating on the basis of overtime. I am not sure-----

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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With respect, overtime comes into operation at night, particularly as they are obliged to go out at weekends. That overtime is being cut back.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That is a matter for a different Minister.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will not answer questions on this matter.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That is a matter for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It will not be dealt with now.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the other matter to which the Deputy referred, he will be aware that quite a hullabaloo was kicked up in respect of advertising, PR, etc., in the middle of last year. The Department of Finance decided that the funding in this regard should be cut. Every Department and agency was obliged to make cuts and the RSA, the work of which is specifically focused on advertising, was no different in this regard. I accept the Deputy's point that there is a need for me to discuss this matter with the RSA. I will do so in order to discover whether it might be possible to identify savings that might be made elsewhere in its budget. I will then try to convince the Department of Finance to allow the authority to spend the money saved on its road safety campaigns.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Advertising is essential for the RSA, particularly in the context of encouraging people to drive slowly and with care. The Minister, Deputy O'Dowd and I attended a presentation made by Mr. Gay Byrne, Mr. Noel Brett and their staff in respect of some extremely effective, if horrific, advertisements which made the point with regard to speeding. Cutting the budget of the RSA in this manner is reprehensible.

Since the turn of the century, almost 3,000 people have died on our roads. That is a shocking statistic. In 50, 80 or 100 years' time, people will look back and ask why we put up with such a high level of fatalities. The situation is crazy. Most citizens would agree that 90% to 95% of road accidents and fatalities result from speeding.

The Leas-Cheann Comhairle hit upon the nub of the problem we often have in invigilating the Department of Transport when he indicated that Garda overtime is a matter for another Minister. Deputy Dempsey is the Minister for Transport. During the lifetime of this Government and its predecessors, promises have been continually made with regard to the roll-out of speed cameras. Information provided by Deputy Deenihan and others throughout the country indicates that the programme of rolling out speed cameras has been discontinued as a result of Government cutbacks. The 1,200-member traffic corps and the network of speed cameras are essential if we are to end the culture of speeding. It is shocking that almost 3,000 people have died on our roads since the turn of the millennium.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with the Deputy that one death on our roads is one death too many. His figure of approximately 3,000 deaths on the roads since the turn of the millennium is reasonably accurate. However, if we had not taken the actions that we did take, the death toll would, on the basis of the figures for 1999 and 2000, have been 4,000. I agree with the Deputy that it is hugely important to maintain our focus on road safety, on saving lives, etc. While some 3,000 lives have been lost, some 1,000 have been saved. In addition, countless numbers of others who might have been injured were not hurt. That is an extremely important point.

The roll-out of speed cameras is a matter for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. However, I assure the Deputy that work on rolling out these cameras is ongoing and has not been abandoned.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Is the Minister in a position to indicate a date for the completion of the network?