Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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383. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of fixed penalty notices issued by An Garda Síochána in Dublin for exceeding the speed limit, broken down by Garda district, week of issue, and posted speed limit exceeded, for each week for the previous 60 weeks, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40204/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the enforcement of road traffic legislation. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that it is not possible to provide a weekly return of the information the Deputy has requested. However, An Garda Síochána have provided a monthly breakdown to align with their existing publications.

I am further advised that the tables below provide a monthly breakdown since August 2023, per Garda division, of the number of instances in which a party was issued with a Fixed Charge Notice for the offences of speeding.

I am also advised that the tables below provide a monthly breakdown since August 2023, of the number of instances in which a party was issued with a Fixed Charge Notice for the offences of speeding, by speed limit.

I can advise the Deputy that these figures are based on incidents which occurred from 1 August 2023 to 30 September 2024, inclusive. All information contained in this report is based upon operational data from the FCPS system as was available on 7 October 2024, and is liable to change.

Uniformed Gardaí undertaking 30 minutes of high visibility roads policing in each tour of duty is helping to transform roads policing in Ireland. The aim is to increase Garda visibility which has the effect of moderating driver and road user behaviour. Increased enforcement is an added benefit. We aim to see people adjusting their behaviours with greater Garda visibility on the roads.

An Garda Síochána have implemented more speed checks and that increased visibility is having a positive impact on our roads.

Every preventable road death is a tragedy, and we need to continue to build on the good work already achieved by An Garda Síochána, as we collectively move toward the goal of Vision Zero.

While An Garda Síochána is focusing its efforts on enforcement, it is important to recognise that a multi-faceted approach is necessary to reduce fatalities and collisions that cause serious injuries, including infrastructure improvements such as road design, maintenance and safety features. Aligned to this are public awareness campaigns, the greater use of technology, and education and training programmes.

Enforcement can only have a certain amount of impact in a nation with such a large and diverse road network. Encouraging drivers to change poor behaviours will have a much greater impact on road safety.