Seán Canney
Galway East · Independent · Ireland
“To obtain an operational authorisation, an operator must provide a comprehensive safety portfolio, which includes assessing and addressing both ground and air risks with appropriate mitigations. Manna Air Delivery holds such an authorisation from the IAA.”
“The national policy framework for UAS, agreed by the Government, was published by the Minister in August last year. The policy framework aims to guide high-level strategic planning and development in the drone sector in Ireland through support, growth and innovation, while ensuring safe and secure operations.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. I note Manna Air Delivery's recent statement that it will for now cease deliveries by drone in Ireland.”
“It proposes 16 actions under three main areas: the use of airspace and planning; compliance and enforcement; and enterprise and innovation. Actions in the policy framework include the establishment of a national working group on UAS geographical zones to develop transparent processes and procedures for the designation of these zones; the…”
“This new route provides passengers travelling from Charleville to Cork with a morning service at 7.05 a.m. and a service from Cork to Charleville at 5.45 p.m., Monday to Friday. This new route is part of the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan, a major public transport initiative.”
“I thank the Deputy. I reassure him again that the Department, its Minister, Deputy O’Brien, my fellow Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I are fully committed to delivering a more sustainable, inclusive and accessible transport system for the benefit of current and future generations.”
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“That is the opportunity. I will not pre-empt the outcome of that strategy here today, other than to say it is the vehicle by which this will change from being something people desire to becoming part of the strategy for the development of Cork. On that, I visited Cork station and met with Irish Rail down there. I have viewed all the projects and development it wants to do. It is very good news for Cork, with the works it has already done. The ambition it has for the future is also very good for Cork. This is just one element that has not made it into the system yet. Whether it does or not will depend on CMATS, when it starts later this year. I will not pre-empt the outcome.”
“This project has not been included in the all-island rail review and the only next step forward, and the most immediate thing that is going to happen, is the review of the Cork metropolitan strategy. There will be several public consultations on that, giving stakeholders the opportunity to voice their opinion on the matter. I encourage all stakeholders to put in their submissions. In addition, one of the all-island rail review recommendations is that the review should be updated once a decade. It will be 2034 when this will be completely reviewed. The Deputy and the people of Cork have a desire to create a railway between Midleton and Youghal but, at present, it is not on the strategy for Cork transport or in the all-island rail review. There is an opportunity to see if we can get it into the Cork metropolitan transport strategy.”
“I understand the Deputy's frustration in trying to get a clear line of sight on what might be happening here. From the outset, the CMATS review will start later this year. That is the avenue by which this project will or will not move forward. This project does not appear in the national development plan, which we have published, or in the sectoral plan for transport and the all-island rail review, in which we have picked projects to do. It is not on the radar, to be honest. We need to use CMATS to see if it is part of the strategy for Cork. Cork people, the county and city councils and the NTA will have a role in all of that, as will the representatives locally.”
“Analysis undertaken as part of the review indicated that it would likely be more cost-effective to route longer distance services between Cork and Waterford via improved railways between both cities and Limerick Junction, rather than on a new line. One of the review's recommendations is that the review be updated once a decade, taking into account the latest policies and developments. The potential for the Midleton to Waterford line could also be reassessed at this stage. The Deputy spoke about a greenway, which is very popular and is working very well, and the challenges to get the space to put a double-track line down there. However, part of this is the consultation process for CMATS, which will be opening later this year. That is the pathway to see where we will go with on this.”
“In addition to CMATS, the all-island strategic rail review, which was published in July 2024, sets out 32 strategic recommendations to enhance and expand the rail system in Ireland and Northern Ireland up to 2050, aligning with net carbon zero commitments in both jurisdictions. The recommendations seek to transform the quality of the rail system to the benefit of passengers and wider society on the island, through additional track capacity, electrification, increased speeds, higher service frequencies and new routes. A proposal to develop a line between Midleton and Waterford along the south coast was examined as part of the review but, ultimately, this route was not included in the final recommendations of the report.”
“As part of this process, the route from Midleton to Youghal was earmarked for development as a greenway, and the final phase of the greenway opened in December 2024. CMATS will be reviewed and updated every six years. As part of this process, the optimal transport provision in the area, including between Midleton and Youghal, can be reconsidered. The next review of CMATS is expected to commence later this year. As part of this review there will be a number of public consultations, giving stakeholders the opportunity to voice their opinion on the matter. I encourage all stakeholders to participate in this important process.”
“I thank Deputy O'Connor for raising this important issue. As Minister of State with responsibility for rail, I thank him for the opportunity to address the House on this issue today. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has responsibility for planning and developing public transport infrastructure and for developing the Cork metropolitan area transport strategy, CMATS. This strategy has been developed by the NTA in collaboration with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork County Council. A key principle for CMATS is to reduce dependency on the private car within the Cork metropolitan area while increasing the appeal of sustainable transport options, such as Cork area commuter rail, light rail and BusConnects Cork.”
“It is only a small thing to say, but when I was first involved in the construction industry, safety was not a big issue. It was never an item on the agenda. Today, you will not get a foot onto a building site without protective clothing, being inducted as to what is happening on the site, having a safe pass and so on. You will not be allowed to drive a machine without a ticket. When I started in the construction industry, there was nothing like that. If you had a helmet, you used it to carry nails up the scaffolding. That has changed because the agenda changed. Health and safety became an agenda item. Road safety has to be made an agenda item as well. I thank the Senators for listening. I will continue to listen.”
“The most striking thing was that these were being targeted at the parents of children. We have a body of work to do there yet. I recently said that, as far as I am concerned, nothing is off the table as regards how we are going to deal with road safety. I had a meeting with the leaders' group on the road safety strategy today. We are looking at the camera technology strategy, which we hope to have completed in the next couple of weeks. We are serious about this. I think everybody is. It is important to say to everybody that road safety has to be an item on the agenda no matter where you are. If you are involved in a GAA club, another sports club or a community council and there is an agenda for a meeting, the last thing should always be telling everyone to drive safely when going home.”
“There is increased traffic on our roads. There are 741,000 more people living in the country than there were in 2014. Regarding e-scooters, I was down in Limerick - I do not know if anybody here is from Limerick - and my eye was caught by an e-scooter that was for sale in a shop. I went in to have a look but I was not looking around too well. I put up my head and looked around and there were buggies, prams and little scooters for children to scoot around on. These e-scooters were at the front door of a baby shop. They were targeted at parents. I read the specifications on one of them and it said the maximum speed was 50 km/h and the maximum range was over 100 km. There was not one iota about restrictions for those under 16 or wearing a helmet. There was nothing about safety.”
“In 2026, the RSA aims to complete a national roll-out to all 730 post-primary schools that offer transition year. Recent tragedies have reinforced the importance of a nationwide behavioural shift in respect of road safety. We must make better choices on the road. Every death is one too many. Work is progressing to deliver on our road safety targets but much still needs to be done to protect lives on our roads. A number of issues were raised, including devolving money to local authorities. All of the safety schemes funded under today's announcement came to the Department from local authorities. They were all from local people and groups. Residents' groups and politicians made representations to the local authorities and these made their way up to the Department before funding came back down again. That is happening at the moment.”
“Senator Joe Conway has left but education and public awareness campaigns are also key to promoting safer behaviours on our roads. This year, as in 2025, the RSA has ring-fenced €18 million for these activities. It has developed significant road safety educational programmes for all age groups and will be expanding this offering during phase 2 of the road safety strategy. In the audiovisual room last week or the week before, it gave a presentation to Oireachtas Members about what it was doing. A particular recent success has been the road safety matters transition year programme. This programme was piloted during the 2024-25 academic year and exceeded expectations, with the RSA delivering training to teachers from almost 140 schools nationwide, representing 12,700 students.”
“A general scheme will be presented to Government in the coming months. This will include proposals for a graduated speeding penalty system and camera enforcement of seat belt and mobile phone offences. Road safety continues to be supported through the improvement of infrastructure and services. In 2025, approximately €600 million in Exchequer capital funding was allocated to local authorities through TII for national roads. This included funding for measures to maintain and improve the existing network. An additional €33 million in current funding was provided for regular maintenance activities. A further €713 million was allocated to regional and local roads in 2025, with approximately 90% of this funding being directed towards maintenance and renewal works.”
“Among its measures, the Bill will provide a clear legislative basis for local authorities to directly receive and process road collision data; abolish the requirement to display a motor tax disc as part of the wider paperless windscreen project; allow a jury to consider a charge of careless driving, under direction from a judge, in respect of dangerous driving, addressing a gap identified in Judge Haughton's report into the death of the late Shane O'Farrell; provide legislative clarity on the application of penalty points in multiple offence incidents, ensuring drivers committing more than one offence in a single incident will receive multiple sets of penalty points. Officials are also progressing the next road traffic Bill to take forward programme for Government commitments.”
“Increasing the numbers of road policing units is an operational matter for An Garda Síochána, although I understand the intention is that numbers will be increased over time. We are progressing a significant legislative programme. The national vehicle and driver file Bill is a priority for the current legislative term and is targeted for enactment before the summer recess.”
“Since November 2023, the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland has been providing insurance details to An Garda Síochána. Details of 3 million vehicles, or 5 million drivers, are provided daily to identify vehicles being driven without insurance. We note that figures yesterday showed that nearly 20,000 cars were seized from people last year and 18,000 the previous year, which was an increase from 11,000 in 2023. I note the motion refers to allowing members of the public to upload dash-cam footage to a Garda patrol. This again is a programme for Government commitment. Pending the launch of this portal, the public can hand over video evidence to a member of An Garda Síochána for certain incidents that do not require an immediate Garda response. This is managed via the traffic watch online reporting page.”
“The strategy will initially focus on speeding, red light running and bus lane infringements, with flexibility for the enforcement of other types of offence in future. It should be noted that camera enforcement has been increasing. Approximately 9,000 hours of Go Safe monitoring is now being carried out each month. Since late 2024, An Garda Síochána has introduced three additional average speed camera zones with nine static camera locations. An Garda Síochána continues to play a key role in road safety, with the implementation of 30 minutes of high-visibility road policing on Garda shifts since 2024. Important new enforcement powers have been given to An Garda Síochána in recent years. Since May 2024, mandatory drug testing now takes place at the scene of serious collisions on the same basis as alcohol.”
“With respect to urban areas, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, issued a direction to local authorities on 16 October requesting that they implement built-up and urban speed limit by-laws not later than 31 March next year. This includes the introduction of a 30 km/h speed limit, where appropriate. The national vehicle and driver file Bill, which I will discuss in more detail shortly, includes a provision to allow for the next phase, which will be the changing of the default limit on national secondary roads from 100 km/h to 80 km/h. Another issue mentioned was the national safety camera strategy. The increased deployment of safety cameras in the coming years is a programme for Government commitment. Work on the first national safety camera strategy is at an advanced stage.”
“I will meet with my counterpart, the Minister for Infrastructure, Liz Kimmins, in Belfast tomorrow. A number of official high-level engagements took place in 2025. I understand that papers in respect of speed limits and safety cameras will be exchanged in the near future, helping each jurisdiction to learn from the experience of the other. The speed limit review published in 2023 is a key action for phase 2. The first of the recommendations came into effect on 7 February 2025 when the default speed limit on local roads decreased from 80 km/h to 60 km/h. This impacted approximately 83,000 km of our 102,000 km road network, or 80% of our roads.”
“Some key actions include, as Senators have mentioned, investing significantly in new and improved active travel and public transport; expanding network safety analysis of the road network to identify high-risk locations, guide investment decisions and prioritise safety interventions; implementing the 2023 speed limit review; and overhauling the learning to drive curriculum. In relation to tractors, the Road Safety Authority is considering the introduction of a training programme and driving test for new category W learner permit applicants. This is being done as part of the overall review of the learning to drive curriculum. In addition, we are looking to build North-South co-operation on road safety through a new work programme agreed under the North-South Ministerial Council during 2025.”
“New regulations will help to bring clarity and additional powers for An Garda Síochána. It is expected that these regulations will be in place within weeks. Today, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, Deputy Paul McAuliffe and I met with the parents of Grace. It was a private meeting but we discussed the regulation, implementation of which is imminent. Phase 2 of the action plan of the current ten-year Government road safety strategy was published last July. The action plan runs to the end of 2027 and contains 12 primary and 77 support actions, with the potential to deliver truly transformative change.”
“To further strengthen the legal position and help to tackle dangerous and antisocial use of scramblers, the Road Traffic Act 2020 introduced three new provisions. It is now an offence to drive dangerously in any location, not just in public places. An Garda Síochána has the power to seize vehicles being driven dangerously. The Minister for Transport can make regulations to restrict certain vehicles or classes of vehicles in particular locations. These provisions all commenced in 2023 and constitute a comprehensive legislative response to the dangerous use of off-road scramblers. It must be emphasised that using these vehicles on our roads is already illegal. Parents or retailers who supply a minor with a mechanically propelled vehicle are also guilty of an offence under section 30 of the Road Traffic Act 2004.”
“We must do better and we must see a return to the progress we have seen previously. I will now outline some of the works that are under way in this regard. On the issue of scramblers, following the tragic death of Grace Lynch on 25 January, we are introducing regulations to further prohibit the use of scramblers and strengthen existing Garda enforcement powers in relation to the dangerous use of scramblers, including vehicle seizure. Under the Road Traffic Act 1961, a mechanically propelled vehicle can only be legally used in public places if it is registered, taxed, insured, roadworthy and has a registration plate. The driver must hold the relevant driving licence. Most scramblers are designed for off-road use only and do not meet these requirements. Their use on the roads is illegal.”
“I welcome the opportunity to come to the Seanad to discuss the issue of road safety. The Government is not opposing this motion. I assure Senators that road safety is a priority for this Government. In 1998, implementation of the first national road safety strategy began. Over the course of that strategy and its successors, we witnessed a remarkable improvement in road safety on our roads. From 472 road deaths in 1997, we reduced that figure to 133 by 2021, the lowest level since records began in 1959. More recent trends are less positive and the gains we made are beginning to slip. Last year saw an increase in road deaths, with 188 fatalities on our roads. Road traffic collisions can also result in devastating and life-altering serious injuries. For every fatality, there are eight serious injuries.”
“Recent tragedies bring into sharp focus the human cost of every fatality on Irish roads. Any death is one too many. Work continues to progress on delivering our road safety targets but much is yet to be done to protect lives on our roads. I look forward to the contributions of Deputies on this very important topic.”
“In 2026, the RSA will proactively re-engage every third level campus in Ireland and roll out a new phase of student-led road safety communications. As part of budget 2025, €18 million of RSA funding was ring-fenced for road safety public interest activities, including awareness, education and promotion campaigns. This was part of a wider shift to bring a renewed focus on campaigns that make our roads safer for all users. Significant new national campaigns were delivered in 2025, including a drug-driving campaign and a major new drink-driving campaign. This approach will continue in 2026, with €18 million once again set aside for similar campaigns and initiatives. Road safety is an all-of-society concern and it is beholden on all of us to make better choices for safer roads.”
“The new Road Safety Matters transition year programme was piloted during the 2024-25 academic year and exceeded expectations, with the RSA successfully delivering training to teachers from almost 140 schools and more than 12,700 students nationwide. In 2026, the RSA aims to complete a national roll-out to all 730 post-primary schools offering transition year. In addition, the RSA aims to scale its junior cycle road safety education for children aged 13 to 16 years, with a view to launching a national roll-out next year. In 2025, the RSA launched its new third level education initiative, engaging students at 62 campus events and reaching approximately 8,955 young people nationwide. The programme's mission is to empower 17- to 24-year-olds to make safer road choices by embedding road safety into everyday student life.”
“It also supported various safety improvement works, bridge rehabilitation schemes, drainage works, climate adaptation measures, community involvement projects and the maintenance of former national roads. In addition to maintenance, targeted improvements are a priority. This action has been identified for progress under the national development plan. The 2026 allocations for national, regional and local roads will be finalised and announced shortly. Education and public awareness campaigns are also key to promoting safer behaviours on our roads. Primary action 9C of the road safety phase 2 action plan specifically addresses the expansion of road safety education programmes to deliver sustained interventions for young people from primary school through to third level.”
“This included funding for measures to maintain and improve the existing national road network, in addition to funding for new national road projects such as the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy, the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge and the Adare bypass. In addition, €33 million in current funding was provided to local authorities to carry out regular maintenance activities on the network. A further €713 million was allocated to regional and local road grants in 2025, with approximately 90% of the funding directed towards maintenance and renewal works. This funding has supported local authorities in carrying out an extensive programme of maintenance and restoration works.”
“My officials are also progressing the next road traffic Bill to take forward key programme for Government commitments. A general scheme will be presented to the Government in the coming months. Among other things, the Bill will provide for a graduated penalty points system designed to strengthen deterrence and address repeat offending. It will also make provision for camera enforcement of seat belt and mobile phone offences, building on existing non-intercept Garda powers in relation to speed. The safety of all road users continues to be supported through improvements in infrastructure and services. To that end, in 2025, approximately €600 million in Exchequer capital funding was allocated through TII to local authorities for national roads.”
“The Bill contains a range of provisions to modernise road safety enforcement, improve the use of data and address identified gaps in road traffic legislation. Among other measures, the Bill will: provide a clear legislative basis for local authorities to directly receive and process road collision data; abolish the requirement to display a motor tax disc as part of the wider paperless windscreen project; allow a jury to consider a charge of careless driving where a defendant is acquitted of dangerous driving, thereby addressing a gap identified in Judge Haughton's report into the death of Shane O'Farrell; and provide legislative clarity on the application of penalty points in multiple-offence incidents, ensuring drivers committing more than one offence in a single incident receive multiple sets of penalty points.”
“Seven years is more than enough time for learners to complete the learning process and become qualified drivers. From a road safety perspective, it is vital that learners are encouraged to complete the learning to drive process and become fully qualified drivers and that people are not encouraged to hold learner permits without ever taking a driving test. Road safety is promoted by ensuring all learners meet a high standard of ability, attain sufficient driving experience and training and prove their ability to drive safely by passing a driving test. We are also progressing a significant legislative programme. The national vehicle and driver file Bill is a priority for the current legislative term. I aim to see it enacted before the summer recess.”
“Since late 2024, An Garda Síochána has worked with TII and local authorities to install three additional average speed camera zones and nine static camera locations. Long-standing issues are also being addressed. Currently, learners can renew their permits multiple times if they have booked or scheduled a driving test. This will no longer be the case. In November, I signed regulations to ensure learner drivers can no longer repeatedly renew their permits without taking a driving test. These regulations will come into effect on 1 November 2026. Learners who have held a permit for seven years or more will not be able to renew and will have to restart the learning to drive process. For learners in category B, this means taking a theory test, obtaining a learner permit, taking 12 essential driver training lessons and sitting a practical test.”
“My Department is working closely with road safety stakeholders, including the National Transport Authority, NTA, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, the Road Safety Authority, RSA, and An Garda Síochána, on how best to implement it. The strategy focuses on speeding, red light running and bus lane infringements, with flexibility for the enforcement of other types of offences in future. It is expected that the strategy will be approved in the coming weeks. Once in place, it will provide the framework for increased deployment of cameras across the network, in both urban and rural locations, to assist with the enforcement of a wide range of road traffic offences. While work continues on finalising the strategy, camera enforcement has been increasing. There are 9,000 hours of GoSafe monitoring carried out on our roads each month.”
“While the Road Traffic Act 2024 made legislative provision for this change, it has not yet been commenced as a further legislative change is required to ensure local authorities will be permitted to set a special speed limit of 100 km/h on certain national secondary roads, where appropriate. That amendment will be progressed in the national vehicle and driver file Bill. The increased deployment of safety cameras in the coming years is a key action to be delivered under the phase 2 action plan of the road safety strategy. This action, which is being delivered collaboratively by road safety partners, aligns with commitments in the programme for Government. Work on the first national safety camera strategy is now at an advanced stage.”
“The approach that is now being followed recognises and respects the positive and important role local authorities and their elected members fulfil in setting speed limits in urban areas. The period of statutory public consultation will provide an opportunity for members of the public and stakeholders to engage with the process and to make representations to local authorities and their elected members on the proposed speed limit changes. The third recommendation under the proposed speed limit changes concerns the reduction of the default speed limit on national secondary roads from 100 km/h to 80 km/h.”
“With respect to the second of the recommendations, namely, the introduction of the 30 km/h default speed limit in built-up and urban areas, following direction from the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, my Department issued a circular to local authorities on 16 October 2025 requesting that they implement built-up and urban areas speed limits no later than 31 March 2027. The proposed speed limit changes in urban areas will be implemented by way of special speed limit by-laws. Accordingly, in respect of those roads in urban areas for which local authorities propose to change existing speed limits, local authorities will undertake a statutory public consultation process and consider all representations, in accordance with the requirements of the Road Traffic Act 2004, as amended.”
“The review made three principal recommendations: a reduction in the default speed limit on rural local roads from 80 km/h to 60 km/h, the introduction of a 30 km/h default speed limit in built-up and urban areas, and a reduction in the default speed limit on national secondary roads from 100 km/h to 80 km/h. The first of the recommendations came into effect on 7 February 2025, when the default speed limit on rural roads decreased from 80 km/h to 60 km/h. This represented a reduction in speed on 80% of the road network in Ireland. This impacts approximately 83,000 km of Ireland's 102,000 km network. It involved the installation of approximately 27,000 new poles and over 50,000 new signs.”
“Some of the key actions include: investing significantly into new and improved active travel and public transport; expanding network safety analysis of the road network to identify high-risk locations, guide investment decisions and prioritise safety interventions including for the local road network; implementing in full all actions of the phase 2 action plan based on the 2023 speed limit review; and reviewing and overhauling our learning to drive curriculum. Implementation of the speed limit review published in 2023 is a key action under the road safety strategy.”
“It aims to reduce road deaths and serious injuries by 50% this decade and to achieve Vision Zero, or as close as possible to no deaths or serious injuries on our roads, by 2050. In July 2025, I published phase 2 of the action plan under the road safety strategy, which will run from 2025 to 2027. In total, the plan contains 12 primary and 77 support actions, with the potential to deliver transformative changes. Actions will be delivered through partnership and collaborative working by road safety stakeholders.”
“They will also increase the charges that accrue each day after a scrambler has been seized to reduce the number of seized vehicles that are released and end up back on our roads. While the focus has rightly been on scramblers in recent weeks, as we approach the two-year mark since e-scooter regulations were introduced in May 2024, it is now appropriate that we look at the evidence and consider if additional regulation is warranted to promote road safety in relation to e-scooters. Proposals on this front will be presented to the Government shortly. The current national framework for road safety is set out in the Government’s fifth Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, which was launched in December 2021. The strategy aligns with EU and UN targets and is based on the safe systems approach.”
“The measures I outlined represent a comprehensive legislative response to the dangerous use of off-road scramblers. It must be emphasised that using them on our roads is already illegal. The new regulations will help bring additional legal clarity to the existing position that scramblers are banned for use on the road in almost all circumstances. The regulations being prepared will explicitly prohibit the use of vehicles such as scramblers in a public place while continuing to allow for legitimate off-road recreational and agricultural uses. They will make the use of a vehicle, such as a scrambler, in these prescribed locations an offence, building on the current position where a member of An Garda Síochána has to form a reasonable belief about dangerous use before it can be seized.”
“The Minister for Transport can make regulations to restrict certain vehicles or classes of vehicles in particular locations. These three provisions are designed to work as a package and should be read together. They were all commenced in July 2023, one month after the enactment of the Act. Since commencement, off-road scramblers are no longer just illegal for use in public areas. It is illegal to drive them dangerously anywhere, even on private land. More importantly, gardaí have the full power to seize a scrambler being driven dangerously in any location. They can enter the curtilage of a dwelling to retrieve a scrambler after the fact. These powers are being used. Since 2023, over 1,000 scramblers, e-scooters and quad bikes have been seized.”
“Currently, under the Road Traffic Act 1961, a mechanically propelled vehicle, such as a scrambler, can only be legally used in public places if it is registered, taxed, insured, roadworthy and has a registration plate. The driver must hold the relevant driving licence. Most scramblers are designed for off-road use only and do not meet these requirements. Their use on the road is illegal. To further strengthen the legal position and help tackle the antisocial use of scramblers and other off-road vehicles, the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 introduced three new provisions. It is now an offence to drive dangerously in any location, not just in public places. Gardaí have the power to seize vehicles being driven dangerously.”
“I too extend my deepest sympathies to the family of Grace Lynch. Her death leaves an unfillable void in their lives and the lives of her friends and the wider community. Regarding the accident that happened in Dublin city centre this afternoon, our thoughts are with the families who are affected by that accident and everybody involved. Yesterday, we announced that we will introduce regulations as a matter of urgency to further prohibit the use of scramblers and strengthen the existing enforcement powers that An Garda Síochána has in relation to the dangerous use of scramblers and powers of seizure. These regulations will be introduced within a matter of weeks.”
“As public representatives, it is important that we continue to encourage people to do the right thing. I thank the Senator for tabling this Commencement matter. I think of the parents and family this week and what they are going through. Again, I offer my sincere sympathies on behalf of the Government, the Department and everybody in Ireland on such a tragic loss of a beautiful young girl.”
“It shows what is being done, how it is being done and making people aware of all the work that is going on in terms of education at preschool level, national school, secondary school, transition year and third level education. The RSA and safety officers around every local authority are engaging in all of this. It is important that we keep telling people and reminding them that they need to be safe on the roads. It should be an agenda item for every meeting. For young fellas and girls coming together to train for football, hurling, camogie, soccer, rugby or whatever it may be, the last item on the agenda after a training session should be, "Take care going home. By the way, I see you don't have a hi-vis jacket, here is one." They are available. The RSA will provide them. Small things matter.”
“Some cars are like offices and cinemas. They have all kinds of screens and so on in the cars. These are distractions. The mobile phone is a distraction. I have asked people, young and old, when they get into a car to check their surroundings, put on their seat belts, put their mobile phones in the glove compartment and tell their passengers not to use their phones while they are in the car. It could be a passenger that says to a driver, "Look what's on the phone." The driver will get to see that when they arrive at their destination. The primary purpose of using transport is to get from A to B safely. The Senator mentioned education. Next week, the Road Safety Authority, RSA, will present in the audiovisual room. I hope that all Oireachtas Members will attend.”
“I welcome that gardaí have been seizing these scramblers over the past two years. The legislation that was introduced in 2023 has been enacted and it is being enforced. Maybe there has not been enough enforcement. An Garda Síochána has had numbers that were not the required numbers. The numbers are building. As the numbers of gardaí are building, we will see more and more coming into road traffic policing. I am doing a promotion of driving safety for this weekend. It is a bank holiday weekend. My plea to the public is no matter if they are in a car, truck, van or on a bicycle or motorbike or whatever form of transport they have, they have a personal responsibility as well. It is important that people remember why they are going on a journey. They are going on a journey to get to a destination. That is the primary objective.”
“Gardaí have enforcement powers to stop and seize the vehicle where this is the case. There is another issue relating to the gardaí seizing the machine. What happens with the machine then? We are looking at that as well. The Senator mentioned consequences. One of the consequences is in relation to what happens with the scrambler - the offending machine - that has been seized. That is something that we are actively looking at. I wish to stress this for the general public. Gardaí have powers of enforcement right now. They can stop people and they can bring people to court. They can seize these if they are being driven dangerously. The active ongoing enforcement of the legislation by gardaí will be a significant deterrent to those using vehicles illegally and in an antisocial manner.”