An extra €3 million euro is to be spent on road safety campaigns and education programmes this year.
Work will also be fast-tracked to resolve technical and legal issues, so cameras can identify mobile phone use and seatbelt wearing as offences.
The additional funding was agreed during a meeting between the Road Safety Authority (RSA), Taoiseach Simon Harris, and the Ministers for Transport and Justice in response to rising road deaths.
The rollout of road safety campaigns and education programmes will begin immediately funded by money from the organisation's reserves.
28/8/2015 Garda-National Slow Down Day was launched today at a speed checkpoint on Conyngham Road in Dublin. An Garda Siochana will conduct an intensive national speed enforcement operation for a 24 hour period from Friday to Saturday 29th August 2015. This national 'Slow Down' day, is supported by the Road Safety Authority and other stakeholders. The objective of operation 'Slow Down' is to reduce the number of speed related collisions, save lives and reduce injuries on our roads. The aim is to get drivers to slow down by reminding them of the dangers of speeding, increasing compliance with speed limits and acting as a deterrent to driving at excessive and inappropriate speed. Photo: RollingNews.ieNew laws will also be introduced, if needed, to resolve privacy and GDPR issues around the sharing of collision data, and further action is due to be taken on road safety black spots.
The RSA will also identify funding needs for the remainder of the year, and Gardaí will be asked to make available their ongoing enforcement plans.
Changes to the driving test, which has not been undertaken in over 30 years, will also continue to be progressed.
Average wait times for driving tests and NCTs are also due to be reduced. By the middle of the year, average wait times for driving tests should be 10 weeks. Wait times for an NCT is due to return to 12 days by the middle of this year.
The Taoiseach also confirmed he'd chair a meeting of the Government’s Ministerial Road Safety Committee in the coming weeks to ensure urgent progress on these and other actions.
