Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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174.To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the review of the legislative basis for data sharing by the Road Safety Authority will be complete. [31277/24]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Collision data are compiled initially by An Garda Síochána. The review of the legislative basis for the receipt and onward sharing of collision data by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has been completed. In June of this year a Ministerial Order was issued under Section 8 of the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, allowing for the sharing of collision data to the RSA from An Garda Síochána.

Furthermore, Cabinet has now approved the drafting of a Roads Bill 2024, which will allow local authorities, acting in their capacity as road authorities, to request collision data from both the RSA and Gardaí. My Department has worked extensively with the Data Protection Commission on this issue, ensuring that the provisions in the Bill will guarantee that data exchange and use are compliant with GDPR rules.

When enacted, this Bill will strengthen our multi-faceted response to the ongoing trend of rising road fatalities, by facilitating local authorities to target areas where collisions frequently occur with investment and infrastructure.

It is important to note that the key tenets of this data are already being shared onto local authorities by my Department, in a summary fashion, in order that local engineers can better identify “accident blackspots” and this is fully operational.