Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 611: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will report on the outsourcing of the speed cameras and enforcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3242/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Garda Síochána continues to focus its enforcement activities on the main causes of deaths and serious injury on the roads — drunk driving, speeding and the non-wearing of safety belts. The Garda Policing Plan for 2008 aims to increase detections for driving while intoxicated, speeding and road transport offences by 10% over the course of the year. The continuing increase in the strength of the Garda Traffic Corps, which will reach its planned level of 1,200 by the end of this year, is enabling a continuing increase in enforcement activity to take place. Along with the increase in its strength, a corresponding allocation of vehicles and other resources is being made to the Traffic Corps. With regard to combating speeding, detailed analysis by the Garda of collision data is under way to identify locations and times where the greatest tendency for speed related collisions occur. Speed enforcement will be prioritised on a risk assessment basis on such locations and at such times. The public will continue to be made aware of roads which have been identified as having a propensity for speed related collisions, including through the Garda website. The Garda is planning to replace its existing vehicle-based mobile speed detection systems this year. It is developing proposals to introduce an automatic number plate recognition capability in a range of Garda vehicles, which will have a speed detection capability and assist in detecting suspect and untaxed vehicles. With regard to outsourcing the provision and operation of safety cameras to a service provider, following the issue of a Request for Tender, tenders were received and evaluated. Issues have arisen because the costs involved are substantially higher than those estimated for the Government previously. I intend to bring proposals before my Cabinet colleagues shortly, taking into account issues of value for money and the commitment, as evidenced by the enhanced activity by the Garda I have outlined, to reduce speeding on our roads.