Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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195. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on progress made on the work plan for 2025 by his Department, in conjunction with other agencies and Departments, to improve road safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47691/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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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. During Phase 1 a number of significant initiatives were delivered. These include the completion the Irish Motor Insurance database, which is helping An Garda Síochána to quickly and efficiently put thousands of uninsured drivers off the road, publication of the Speed Limit Review and implementation of its first phase on rural local, local roads in February of this year, the introduction of mandatory drug testing at the scene of serious collisions and the publication of an updated National Cycle Manual. In addition, a number of high-impact actions are currently progressing, including the development of a national safety camera strategy and implementation of new rules around learner permit renewals. As part of Budget 2025, €18m of RSA funding has been ringfenced for investment in media, education and awareness campaigns, with significant new national campaigns delivered this year addressing rural speeding, drug driving and drink driving.

The Phase 2 Action Plan 2025-2027 was published on 16 July. This next phase of the Road Safety Strategy identifies 12 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 77 supporting actions which reflect a wider range of ongoing important activities currently being delivered by road safety partners. There is also much important ongoing work within partner agencies that is not fully captured in the action plan.

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.