Taoiseach, Simon Harris, chairs meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Road Safety

The Taoiseach, Simon Harris, chaired a meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Road Safety today. The Ministerial Committee on Road Safety has oversight of delivery of the Government's Road Safety Strategy 2021 - 2030.

The Taoiseach was joined by the Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, and Minister of State at the Department of Transport Jack Chambers, along with representatives of the Road Safety Authority, An Garda Síochána, the Courts Service, the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the National Transport Authority, and the Health and Safety Authority.

Members of the Ministerial Committee updated the Taoiseach on progress made on a range of priority actions underway to improve road safety including:

• The RSA has allocated an additional €3m to ongoing radio and digital audio campaigns relating to mobile phones and drug driving and have launched a new 'Time to Talk' road safety campaign appealing to road users to consider the devastating consequences of dangerous driving habits. This will be complemented by further education and awareness activity by An Garda Síochána and other agencies.
• An Garda Siochána provided an overview of the upcoming enforcement activity plans, including road safety campaigns planned for the May and June bank holidays, and National Days of Action taking place in May and June on Tyre Safety, Driving Without Insurance, and Mobile Phone Use.
• An Garda Síochána also outlined the positive impact that Operation Roads Visibility, which launched in April, is having on increased detections of unaccompanied learner drivers, mobile phone use, driving without a seatbelt, driving without insurance, and driving without an NCT.
• The locations of the first nine new static speed cameras were announced this week and will be operational by year end. The locations of the three new average speed cameras on the N3, N2 and N5 are being finalised and will be operational by Q3 this year. Work is also underway on a National Camera Strategy with a first draft of the Strategy expected in September this year.
• Legal advice is being sought by the Department of Transport on whether legislative change is needed on the application of camera-based enforcement to non-seat belt wearing and mobile phone use, and legislation will be introduced urgently if required.
• Progress is being made on the review of the driving test curriculum with a first scoping workshop having taken place this week. Consideration will be given to the curriculum in the broader context of road safety such as in the case of driving bans.
• The current rate of driver testing will reduce to 10 weeks by mid-year.
• The current wait time for NCT invitation to test is now at 12 days.
• TII continues to have full access to collision data and uses this information to conduct detailed analysis on the national road network to prioritise safety investment. An examination will also be undertaken of whether any additional road safety improvements can be carried out this year.

It was agreed that a further Ministerial Committee meeting will be held before the Summer and a progress report on all these actions will then be submitted to Government.

Speaking after the meeting, the Taoiseach said:

"Road safety is a priority issue for me. We have seen too many people lose their lives on our roads this year already, devastating families and affecting whole communities. We need to act urgently to reverse this worrying trend.

"I held a constructive meeting with the Ministerial Committee on Road Safety this morning, which brings together all the relevant Departments and Agencies responsible for making our roads safer.

"At the meeting I received reassurance that priority actions are being delivered. It was also agreed that in advance of the summer recess, a progress report on road safety will be submitted to the Government following a further meeting of the Road Safety Ministerial Committee."

Ends