Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the recent criticism by the chairman of the Road Safety Authority of the Government and the Minister in terms of the failure to roll out the national speed camera programme and the reduced level of enforcement of critical road traffic law due to budgetary constraints on An Garda Síochána; if he has met the chairman and the CEO of the RSA on these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21334/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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One of the strategic goals set out in the Garda Síochána Corporate Strategy 2007-2009 is to significantly reduce the incidence of fatal and serious injuries on the roads and improve road safety.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that there has been no reduction in the efforts of members of An Garda Síochána in the enforcement of road traffic legislation. While members of the Garda Traffic Corps in every Garda Division are specifically tasked with the enforcement of the road traffic and road transport legislation, all members of An Garda Síochána are tasked with enforcing the provisions of all criminal law, including the relevant provisions of road traffic and road transport legislation. An Garda Síochána continuously conducts awareness and education campaigns and enforcement initiatives to reduce road fatalities and serious injuries, increase driver awareness, prevent and detect breaches of road traffic and transport legislation and promote an improved compliance culture among road-users.

Members of An Garda Síochána conduct planned, unplanned and ad hoc checkpoints, including mandatory alcohol testing checkpoints. Planned multi-agency checkpoints are also conducted on a weekly basis, in conjunction with the Road Safety Authority, the Revenue Commissioners (Customs and Excise Branch) and the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

The emphasis of Garda speed enforcement is on the use of mobile speed cameras, and their capacity in this area has been substantially enhanced recently. In September, 2008 the Garda Commissioner and I launched eight new Garda mobile speed detection vehicles. These state of the art vehicles represent a substantial upgrading of the resources available to An Garda Síochána to address the problem of speeding on our roads, particularly in collision prone zones. An Garda Síochána also has over 400 hand held speed detection devices.

The Garda authorities support the action in the Road Safety Strategy 2007-2012 to implement a safety camera network. Consequently, An Garda Síochána is engaging in a procurement process, in accordance with EU Directives, national public procurement procedures and relevant legislation, for the provision and operation of safety cameras. As a result, a preferred supplier has been selected.

Discussions are taking place between my Department, the Departments of Transport and Finance and An Garda Síochána with a view to making every effort to proceed with this project as speedily as possible. Until contract discussions are concluded, it is not possible to indicate a specific timescale for the project.