96. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the measures he is taking to improve road safety; the reasons road deaths have risen by 31% since 2019 while road deaths across the EU dropped by 15% over the same period; the measures he is taking to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31157/26]

Deputy Pa Daly: What measures are being taken to improve road safety? Clearly, road safety and fatalities on the road are moving in the wrong direction, and quite dramatically so. An independent report said that there had been a very worrying recent increase in fatalities and serious injuries. Since 2019, road deaths have risen by 31% in Ireland while across the European Union they have fallen by 15%. What steps are being taken to address this?

Darragh O'Brien,Minister for Transport: I thank the Deputy for raising this really important matter. Any death on our roads is one too many. I am always conscious when talking about numbers that behind these numbers are people and families. We have to continue working to improve road safety. One element of it is the continued investment in our roads. Physical infrastructure is critical, as is the safety framework.

The current framework for road safety is set out in the Government’s fifth road safety strategy, which has the target of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50% this decade. My Department published the phase 2 action plan under this strategy last July for the period 2025 to 2027. That plan comprises 12 primary transformative actions and 77 supporting actions. Delivering the action plan is a collaborative effort involving my Department, the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, An Garda Síochána, the Road Safety Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, the National Transport Authority, NTA, the Courts Service, and right the way across the board. The Deputy will note that there are many experts across a range of partners collaborating on taking action and delivering positive road safety outcomes, and I would like to assure him that progress is being made.

Key deliverables for this year include passing the National Vehicle and Driver File Bill to allow local authorities to resume accepting and processing collision data. We are also addressing the long-standing issue relating to repeat renewal of learner permits, with regulations coming into effect later this year in November. Yesterday, I published the first national safety camera strategy, which provides a framework for increased deployment of cameras across the road network in urban and rural locations. The use of cameras has been proven to reduce speeding and improve driver behaviour, and I am confident that implementation of this strategy will help us achieve our road safety targets.

The Deputy might wish to know that, this year, €14 million has been allocated under the low-cost safety improvement scheme to support small-scale engineering measures to address identified road safety issues.

Deputy Pa Daly: The Minister mentioned that there had been progress on all actions but, unfortunately, that is not seeping down into the road death figures, which are going in the wrong direction. It is not the Minister's brief but I want to refer to the number of gardaí on the roads. It is a consequence of inaction by the Government. There are 400 fewer gardaí on the roads than there were 15 years ago. The number of gardaí in that Garda unit has halved since 2009. We received a briefing the other day from Alcohol Action Ireland. There are some very worrying statistics in its brochure. It said that, in 2025, there were 4,800 arrests for drink driving. That compares to almost 20,000 in 2007. The rate of breath-testing among licensed drivers is only 5.3% whereas in other countries it is multiples of that. The consequences of that are that while 14% of driver fatalities in Australia, for example, have a positive toxicology for alcohol, that figure is 35% in Ireland.

Deputy Darragh O'Brien: Undoubtedly, we have seen an increase over the last number of years from a lower base. When you compare Ireland to the rest of Europe, the statistics - this is not to mean the road fatalities themselves - compare favourably and we are still in the upper quartile in relation to prevention of road deaths and the number of road deaths. Again, I say this on the basis that I do not like talking about numbers because there are people behind them.

On safety cameras, 390 new safety camera zones became operational from 1 January this year. This brings the total number of safety cameras nationwide to 1,901. The Deputy raised a point and I would say to him that enforcement is unquestionably critical. It is something that my Department discusses with the Department of justice. I continue to engage with the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan. We have the road traffic (amendment) Bill coming in later this year. Driver behaviour is critical, though, and that is why education is important. We all see it, we all drive around the country and see some outrageous driver behaviour. It is unacceptable, by the way, for anyone in this day and age to get into a car when they have had alcohol.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer: Hear, hear.

Deputy Darragh O'Brien: Whatever level of enforcement is there, personal responsibility really needs to be brought to the fore. We all agree on that. There is only so much a Government can do. We need to do more - I am with the Deputy on that - but personal responsibility is critical.

Deputy Pa Daly: Unfortunately, personal responsibility is corralled or dictated by the chances of getting caught.

When the number of arrests, the amount of enforcement and the number of gardaí on the road have decreased so hugely and the number of drink driving arrests is down by 75% since 2007, people are more likely to get into cars. That is just human nature.

I want to ask about the flip flop on the disbanding of the RSA. An independent report was commissioned, done by Indecon. It said the dual role of the RSA in delivering operational services, such as driver testing and NCT, is a distraction from the more important role of national road safety policy, education, which the Minister spoke about, and campaigns. It undermines the ability to respond to rising fatalities.

Deputy David Maxwell: Thank you, Deputy.

Deputy Pa Daly: Is the Government even at this late going to allow the RSA to do what it is supposed to do and deal with operational services in a separate body?

Deputy Darragh O'Brien: The RSA is very well resourced to carry out the functions it is charged with. Splitting up the agency would have a detrimental effect. It would take too long. It needs to focus on road safety and education. NCT and driver testing are also important. That feeds into the road safety piece. I will counter the Deputy on one particular thing he said. Driver behaviour and personal responsibility are critical. We all want to see more gardaí enforcing this. Measures have been taken around specific bank holiday weekends when we still see shocking numbers of people driving under the influence or drink and drugs and speeding at excessive and dangerous rates. Enforcement is critical to catch these people and put them off the road - it is as simple as that but more needs to be done. I outlined some of the safety measures that have been brought forward. The number one priority is road safety to reduce road deaths.