Sinn Féin spokesperson on Transport and Communications, Martin Kenny TD, has criticised the government’s failure to deliver a key policy that had been promised in their 2021 Road Safety Strategy.

The strategy included a commitment to deliver an online portal that would enable dash-cam footage of bad driving to be uploaded online to assist Gardaí in their road safety investigations. 

However, Teachta Kenny has received information from the Justice Department in a parliamentary question response which reveals that this system will not be operational until 2025 at the very earliest.

Speaking today, Teachta Kenny said:

“It is clear that urgent action is needed to enforce road safety and keep communities safe. Recent tragedies on our roads have shown how urgent and serious this issue is.

“As part of the Road Safety Strategy, this government committed itself to developing and launching an online portal where footage from dash-cams and helmet cameras could be uploaded as a way to share footage of bad driver behaviour with Gardaí.

“In the absence of adequate resourcing for Garda roads policing units, this is one way to monitor dangerous driver behaviour.

“This is one of the many resources available to this government, yet information I have received from the Justice Department shows that they are continuing to drag their feet. It is entirely unacceptable that this key policy has been delayed until at least 2025. 

“While the delays continue, people are losing their lives, or being left with life changing injuries every day.

“We need to use every tool available to us to prevent the continuing rise in road deaths. Every campaigner and stakeholder I have spoken to is in favour of this online portal as a way to combat dangerous behaviour on our roads. 

“We have already seen more than a 20% increase in fatalities this year and it’s only April. Yet the objectives in the government’s own Road Safety Strategy seem to have fallen by the wayside.

“I am imploring the Minister for Transport and Minister for Justice to work together here and ensure the delivery of this system as a matter of urgency. This government has a damning track record of being all spin and no substance. Too often, they make glossy announcements that amount to no change on the ground. This must not be allowed to happen when it comes to road safety. The government need to wake up to reality and act urgently on these much-needed and long overdue solutions.”

The response to Teachta Kenny’s Parliamentary Question can be read here.