Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Transport the breakdown for the percentage of deaths and injuries to children in road traffic accidents that occur travelling to and from school. [5834/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Statistics relating to road accidents, based on information provided by the Garda Síochána, are published by the National Roads Authority, NRA, in its annual road accident facts reports. The most recent report, now entitled "Road Collision Facts", relates to 2004 and is available in the Oireachtas Library and on the NRA website.

In 2004, seven children under the age of 15 lost their lives and 536 were injured in collisions. This represents 1.8% of fatalities and 6.8% of injuries in that year. The statistics do not provide a breakdown in relation to road deaths and injuries to children in road traffic accidents that occur travelling to and from school.

Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 231: To ask the Minister for Transport the measures that are being taken to reduce the number of road deaths here. [5835/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Government road safety strategy 2004-06 sets a primary target of a 25% reduction in road collision fatalities by the end of 2006 over the average annual number of fatalities in the 1998-2003 period. Achievement of the target would result in no more than 300 deaths per annum by the end of the period of the strategy. This is an ambitious target and one which will require the continued commitment to a strategic, integrated approach by all of the road safety agencies. However, the recent increase in road deaths is a cause of concern and places the challenge of meeting the target set for the end of 2006 into stark focus. As of midnight on 13 February, 55 people lost their lives on our roads, the same as on that date last year.

Progress depends in the first instance on a continued emphasis on the approach that underpins the strategy. A major independent review of the previous strategy confirms that basing the primary target on the achievement of progress in the areas of speeding, drink driving and seat belt wearing remains the correct approach and these remain the key areas of the strategy.

Significant initiatives identified in the strategy that have been realised to date include the introduction of a new system of metric speed limits through the passage of the Road Traffic Act 2004 and the establishment of the new Garda traffic corps. The new speed limits structure featured a reduction in the speed limit in all rural, regional and local roads from 60 miles per hour to 80 kilometres per hour, which equates to 50 miles per hour.

The establishment of the dedicated traffic corps in 2004 by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform under a distinct management structure under the command of an assistant commissioner addresses a particular commitment given by the Government. The corps, when it is fully staffed, will provide the basis for the achievement of the significant gains in road safety that emanate from consistent high levels of traffic law enforcement.

Other major proposals identified in the strategy such as the plans to establish a system of private sector operation of speed cameras under the auspices of the Garda, the further extension of the operation of the penalty points and fixed charge systems, and the question of the introduction of a more general basis for the carrying out of preliminary roadside alcohol testing of drivers are being advanced.

I will bring forward legislation during the current Dáil session for the purpose of extending the basis for which a roadside breath test can be requested and also to provide a statutory basis for the engagement of private sector interests in the operation of a speed camera programme under the direct control and guidance of the Garda. I have also recently announced the extension of the penalty points system from the existing five offences to 35 offences in early April. The emphasis of this extension is on offences that relate to driver behaviour which is the greatest single contributory factor in road collisions.