Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2016
629. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he plans to next meet the CEO and chairperson of the Road Safety Authority to discuss the rise in the number of road deaths; if there are revised new RSA strategies to combat this rise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30772/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI meet the CEO of the Road Safety Authority on a regular basis and my officials meet her on a monthly basis to discuss corporate governance and road safety issues. I met the chairperson of the RSA, together with its CEO, to discuss the RSA's corporate strategy and road safety issues on 25 July 2016.
While Road fatalities in 2015 at 162, matched those in 2012, making it Ireland's joint safest year on record, the reality is that each of those deaths is one too many, and there has been an overall upward trend in road fatalities in Europe and in the US over the last few years and in Ireland to date this year.
I will be meeting the CEO of the RSA and all relevant stakeholders next month, following a meeting of stakeholders to carry out a mid-term review of the Road Safety Strategy 2013 - 2020. The focus of this review is on the measures already introduced and the initiatives required to improve the country's road safety performance. The Ministerial Committee on Road Safety next month will focus on the rise in fatalities in 2016 and will explore what further measures can be taken to address these including in the light of the mid-term review.
I hope that the launch by the RSA of a number of new road safety campaigns including regarding low-level speeding, alcohol and driving, and a new seat-belt campaign combined with high visibility speed enforcement activities by An Garda Síochána focused on National "Slow-Down" day next weekend, on the November Bank Holiday and the Christmas road safety campaign in December 2016 will have an impact on road safety for the remainder of 2016.
