Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Tom Sheahan for raising this very important matter. The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, myself, the Department, the Road Safety Authority and any right-minded person should be gravely concerned at the number of pedestrians and cyclists who are being killed and injured on our roads. To date in 2015, ten pedestrians and one pedal cyclist have been killed in collisions with motor vehicles. While I am not aware of the individual circumstances behind each and every one of these awful tragedies, I would expect that anything that could attract a driver's earlier attention to the presence of a pedestrian, pedal cyclist or other vulnerable road user may have resulted in a different outcome in these cases.

As of yesterday, Tuesday, 12 May, there were 16 fewer deaths as a result of road collisions than in the same period last year. While it is too early to say whether this trend in 2015 will be sustained, I am confident that the implementation of the actions set out in the Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020 will, over time, lead to a reduction in road traffic collisions, fatalities and injuries.

Vulnerable road users, in particular cyclists and pedestrians, are a focus of concern and action for the RSA in the authority's current promotional campaigns. The RSA is continuously engaged in publicity drives involving radio and television advertisements on national and local media. The RSA puts huge effort into educating all road users to the dangers on any road and to instill a sense of personal responsibility into all of us.

Specifically, it has devoted significant resources to get the message across to all road users about the dangers for walkers and cyclists on or near roadways. Its high-visibility vests and other road safety apparel are in evidence everywhere we look. If we step outside these four walls, we will see the RSA-supplied high-visibility vests with its logo and slogan, "Be Safe, Be Seen", on hundreds of cyclists, runners, delivery persons and walkers, among others. I understand that up to 5 million various items bearing reflective material have been distributed to members of the public in recent years. These include the high-visibility vests mentioned by Senator Sheahan, as well as Sam Browne belts, ruck-sack covers, bicycle clips, torches and other novelty items, all with a road safety theme to them.

The aim of the RSA is to ensure that all road users develop safe behaviours and appropriate attitudes to be used on our roads. To do this, it looks to impart knowledge and the appropriate skills to road users as they move through life. The RSA's current policy is to deliver road user education and awareness in a combined approach up to third level education. Educational resources have been developed from pre-school all the way up to third level and right into the heart of local communities. These resources are delivered in schools and communities throughout the country on a continuous basis.

While the wearing of high-visibility equipment is a part of keeping safe on the roads, there are other safe behaviours to be practised when using roads and these are of equal value. In circumstances where people are negotiating unlit or poorly lit roadways, it is the responsibility of all us - cyclists, pedestrians and drivers - to take extreme care. However, no matter how much effort the RSA puts into its campaigns, there has to be an element of personal responsibility in all of this. Road safety awareness campaigns by the RSA that promote personal protection equipment for pedestrian and cyclists, and which support a shift to healthier forms of mobility such as walking and cycling, are included in the Government's Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020. The supply of high-visibility equipment was also provided for under the previous Road Safety Strategy 2007-2012. Even now, these items are available free of charge and can be ordered by telephone, e-mail or online directly from the RSA ordering system. The RSA also has a number of sponsorships each year that include a partnership with the ESB on its Back to School campaign and with the Irish Farmers' Journalfor the ploughing championships.

I am not aware of any country that makes the wearing of high-visibility material by walkers and cyclists compulsory. A difficulty with such an approach would be in what circumstances walkers and cyclists would be required to wear such high-visibility material, in what weather conditions and at what times of the year, and so on. While I understand the Senator's concern, and we are all convinced of the usefulness of high-visibility vests, I understand the Minister believes that the current promotional approach to high-visibility material is the correct one and the Minister has no plans to make their use a compulsory legal requirement.