Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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263. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps his Department is taking to promote safer driving, following the publication of the 2025 ETSC Road Safety Report, which highlights increased road deaths among young people in Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37377/25]

Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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265. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department intends to develop specific youth-focused road safety measures or targets under the Road Safety Strategy 2025 to 2027, given the disproportionately high number of road deaths among 16-to-25-year-olds, as reported in the European Transport Safety Council's 2025 report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37391/25]

Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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266. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has undertaken an analysis of Ireland's declining ranking in EU road safety performance, specifically in relation to the high rate of road fatalities among drivers aged 18-to-24 years of age; if he will outline any policy responses under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37392/25]

Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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268. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has engaged with the Road Safety Authority in response to the findings of the 2025 European Transport Safety Council Road Safety Performance Index, particularly the reported increase in the proportion of road deaths among people aged 16 to 25; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37394/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 263, 265, 266 and 268 together.

The Programme for Government outlines the Government's commitment to reducing road deaths and creating safer roads for everyone in Ireland.

The current national framework for road safety is set out in the Government’s fifth Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030. The Strategy was launched in December 2021 and follows international best practice, aligns with EU and UN targets, and is based on the Safe Systems approach. The Strategy has the target of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50% this decade, and to achieving Vision Zero—as close as possible to no deaths or serious injuries on Irish roads—by 2050.

Phase 1 of the Road Safety Strategy ran until the end of 2024, with approximately 169 concrete actions complete or on track at its conclusion. Notable deliverables include publication of an updated National Cycle Manual, publication of the Speed Limits Review, and subsequent implementation of the first set of new default speed limits—of 60km/h on rural, local roads, as provided for in the Road Traffic Act 2024.

The Phase 2 Action Plan 2025-2027 is currently being finalised and I expect to publish it shortly. This Action Plan identifies primary actions that are transformative in nature and which are themed across the overarching, internationally recognised safe systems approach. Each of these actions will be delivered through partnership and collaborative working with a range of road safety stakeholders.

To support and supplement the primary actions, the action plan includes a suite of supporting actions which reflect a wider range of ongoing important activities currently being delivered by road safety partners.

To ensure that road safety advocates had an opportunity to contribute to the Phase 2 Action Plan of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy, the Department of Transport and RSA established the Road User Safety Forum. The Forum is made up of representatives comprising road safety advocates and experts, and its original role was to advise on the development of the Phase 2 Action Plan. In all, four meetings of the Forum have been held to date and the Forum will continue to advise on the implementation of the Phase 2 action plan.

I will continue to chair the Group overseeing the delivery of this Strategy and Action Plan, calling on stakeholders from across the sector to bring forward and implement high-impact actions in the coming years.

In addition, a number of high-impact actions are progressing, including delivery of a national safety camera strategy and phased implementation of a new policy to tackle the issue of multiple learner permits. Work has also commenced on reviewing the driver curriculum, and ringfenced funding of €18m in has been allocated to RSA media, education and awareness campaigns as part of Budget 2025.

My colleagues in the RSA have advised me on a number of education and awareness campaigns they are running which specifically target young people, including the new Road Safety Matters transition year programme. Road Safety Matters was piloted during the 2024-2025 academic year with up to 5,025 students. A further 250 teachers are registered to attend training in September / October 2025, extending the reach of the programme to approx. 22,000 students the next academic year.

The RSA hosted it's inaugural Road Safety Youth Forum in April 2024, as a space for young people to discuss their common road safety concerns. The group consists of 20 young people aged between 12-23 years with representatives from rural and urban areas nationwide. Since the first meeting the group has meet in person on 3 occasions and once online.

The RSA is also running a number of TV and video-on-demand campaigns to target the 16-25 year old cohort. These campaigns focus on tackling a number of dangerous behaviours including non-seatbelt wearing, driver distraction, speeding, and intoxicated driving.