Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will report on the recent signing of the contract with a company (details supplied) to provide 6,000 hours per month of speed camera monitoring as was mandated to occur by the second quarter of 2008 under Action 26 of the Road Safety Strategy 2007 to 2012; the date for the full roll out of the national speed camera programme; the reason there has been a delay in signing this contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45865/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Following a tender and evaluation process, the contract for an outsourced safety camera network was signed by the Garda Commissioner and me with the preferred service provider on 20 November. As this is the first contract of its kind where enforcement activity currently carried out by An Garda Síochána is to be outsourced to a service provider, the discussions were detailed and took some time. Furthermore, the cost and value for money aspects of the project had to be carefully examined, against the background of the financial resources available to the Government.

Following the selection of the preferred bidder, one of the unsuccessful tenderers requested clarification. The issues raised were addressed, but it took a certain amount of time to do so.

An Garda Síochána will have overall responsibility for the service. The service provider, under their direction, will carry out speed checks with mobile safety cameras and "before and after" speed surveys and will provide all personnel and equipment to carry out these tasks. The service provider will provide the details of detections resulting from this activity to An Garda Síochána, who will then take enforcement proceedings against the offending drivers. An Garda Síochána will retain its speed enforcement capability.

The service provider will be paid according to the level of service contracted for. The number of speeding drivers detected will have no effect on the level of payments to the service provider. The purpose of the contract is to reduce speed, and so increase road safety, and not to generate revenue either for the State or the service provider.

It is expected that the service will be rolled out in mid 2010.