Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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277. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he is taking to improve road safety in County Kerry; if he is aware that there have been eight fatalities this year to date which is equal to the total number of fatalities in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61022/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I am aware of the number of deaths this year on our roads in County Kerry and indeed across the country. Each death on our roads brings with it a devastating impact on the families, friends and communities who have lost a loved one. I extend my sympathies to those families in Kerry and across the country who are grieving the loss of a loved one.

Following several decades of consistent progress in reducing road deaths, recent years have seen the trend move in the wrong direction and return us to levels last seen during the previous decade. It is important that we see a return to progress and that we work together towards achieving our 2030 and 2050 Vision Zero targets.

Road Safety is a continuing priority for me and the Government and the current national framework for road safety is set out in the fifth Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030. This 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% by 2030 (compared to the average figures from 2017-2019) and to achieving Vision Zero—as close as possible to no deaths or serious injuries on Irish roads—by 2050.

In July this year I published the Phase 2 Road Safety Action Plan which focuses on the delivery of 12 primary actions that have the potential for truly transformative change. Each of these actions will be delivered through partnership and collaborative working with a range of road safety stakeholders. The 12 primary actions are supplemented by a suite of 77 complementary 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. In September 2024 my Department also established the Road User Safety Forum, to ensure that road safety advocates from a diverse range of perspectives could contribute to the development of the Phase 2 Action Plan. This Forum will continue as part of the implementation of the Plan.

As the Deputy will be aware in February this year Phase 1 of the speed limit review was implemented which saw a reduction in the default speed limit on rural, local roads from 80km/h to 60km/h. In October my colleague the Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien directed local authorities to begin Phase 2 of implementing the recommendations of the speed limit review by review existing speed limits on roads in built-up and urban areas. Local authorities will, where appropriate, implement lower speed limits including the introduction of 30 km/h speed limits, such as in roads in cities and towns. The direction is for local authorities to start this process with the objective of having the 30km/h speed limits in built-up and urban areas operational by 31st March 2027.

In addition, my Department is also progressing a new Road Traffic Bill this year to support Programme for Government commitments around road safety, including in relation to the penalty points system. Work on the National Vehicle and Driver File Bill 2025 is also progressing and once enacted it will provide for the sharing of collision data between An Garda Siochana, the RSA and local authorities. This will allow local authorities to identify accident blackspots and to target road improvements.

Finally, during 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.