Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

99. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will introduce best practice reporting guidance for road collisions as recently adopted in the United Kingdom (details supplied). [27583/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

While I fully acknowledge the need for sensitive and accurate reporting in relation to road collisions, it is not my role as Minister for Transport to issue guidelines to the press on how they carry out their reporting.

The UK Guidelines to which the Deputy refers were not issued by any arm or agency of Government. My understanding is that they were co-ordinated by the University of Westminster’s Active Travel Academy with input from a broad range of professionals following consultation with a wide range of stakeholders. The Guidelines are intended to form an industry standard for media reporting and commenting on road collisions, and to help publishers avoid language we know from research directly influences how safe people are on the roads.

I would welcome such an initiative by an Irish educational institution or by the Irish media.