Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 303: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the process of selecting the preferred bidder for the provision and operation of safety cameras has been completed; if he has submitted proposals to appoint the successful bidder to Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4040/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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An Garda Síochána continue to focus their 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 in the course of the year by 10% detections for driving while intoxicated, speeding and also road transport offences. 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 An Garda Síochána 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 Gardaí are planning to replace their existing vehicle-based mobile speed detection systems this year. They are also developing proposals to introduce in a range of Garda vehicles an automatic number plate recognition capability, which in addition to assisting in detecting suspect and untaxed vehicles will have a speed detection capability.

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 costs involved would now be substantially higher than had been estimated for the Government previously.

I intend to bring proposals before my colleagues in Government shortly taking into account issues of value for money and the commitment, as is evidenced by the enhanced activity by An Garda Síochána which I have outlined, to reduce speeding on our roads.