Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 March 2024
133. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the number of static roadside speed cameras that detected excessive speeding in County Longford for 2023, 2022 and 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10884/24]
View answer134. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the number of static roadside speed cameras that detected excessive speeding in County Westmeath for 2023, 2022 and 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10885/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together.
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, which includes the enforcement of road traffic legislation. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
I am informed by Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána is committed to working closely with all road safety agencies to focus on high risk behaviour with the key objective of reducing the number of serious injury collisions and fatalities on our roads.
Budget 2024 provides for 800 - 1000 new Garda recruits. As we continue to increase the number of Gardaí towards our current target of 15,000, I expect that the Commissioner will be in a position to allocate additional Gardaí to specialist units, including the roads policing unit.
Also as part of Budget 2024, €3.6m additional funding has been allocated for GoSafe speed cameras, to continue the increased level of 9,000 hours a month announced last year through the whole of 2024.
I am advised that the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau reported that there are no static speed cameras deployed in County Longford and County Westmeath.
The role of the Safety Camera Contract is critical in the context of road traffic enforcement, improving road safety by changing driver behaviour. This is in order to reduce road traffic fatalities and serious injuries by reducing the incidence of drivers exceeding stipulated speed limits, in circumstances where speeding is known to be a significant factor behind serious collisions.
The Deputy will be interested to know that An Garda Síochána and GoSafe recorded over 900 detections for speeding during National Slow Down Day which ran from 7am on Thursday 29 February 2024 to 7am on Friday 1 March 2024.
Further information on speed safety cameras can be found on the Garda website at the following link: garda.ie/en/roads-policing/safety-cameras/
