Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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491. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will implement action 105 of the Road Safety Authority’s Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020, which states that all cars should carry compulsory breakdown emergency packs for vehicles including a glass-breaking hammer. [8492/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Action 105 of the Road Safety Strategy 2013 - 2020 envisages making it compulsory for all vehicles to carry an emergency breakdown pack including a first aid kit, a high visibility vest, a breakdown triangle and a torch. There is no reference to a glass breaking hammer in Action 105 in the Strategy.

The Road Safety Authority carried out a public consultation on this Action during 2015 and submitted a report to my Department in November 2015.  The report indicates that, based on the public consultation, an Emergency Pack in cars could include a Hi-vis vest, warning triangle, torch and possibly a first aid kit.

Following a request for additional information from my Department, the RSA have now submitted data on how a requirement to carry emergency packs in vehicles is dealt with in other European countries. That information is now at hand, and while it would appear that a glass-breaking hammer is not a requirement in any other country, consideration is currently being given to determine whether or not legislative provision might be included in a future Road Traffic Bill.