Around €4.7 million collected in speeding fines in nine months

Around €4.7 million was collected in speeding fines between January and September of last year.

That is more than the entire amount collected in 2012.

The AA's Conor Faughnan said the total amount collected is not really that much because the figure collected is substantially less than the cost of running the system.

He said that we actually lose money in running this system, however it is in place to deter people from speeding.

"The purpose of speed cameras is not to raise money in fines, their purpose is to slow traffic down.

"Although there are quirks and anomalies, broadly speaking, if you look at the locations, it is a system that does perform it's function."

The Irish Times reported that one stretch of the N7 was the most lucrative, with motorists paying €340,000 in fines.