Current penalty points system 'severe enough', says Tánaiste

The RSA is pushing for emergency legislation to double the number of penalty points given to drivers for speeding and mobile phone use from three to six. Picture Dan Linehan

The Government has all but ruled out calls from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to introduce emergency legislation to double the number of penalty points for speeding and phone use.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin said the current penalty points system is "severe enough", adding that instead the root causes of road fatalities and injuries must be examined.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said all issues in relation to road safety are "kept under review".

Mr Harris also suggested that hard-hitting advertisements should be rolled out to make clear the impact of dangerous driving.

Their comments came after it emerged that the RSA is pushing for emergency legislation to double the number of penalty points given to drivers for speeding and mobile phone use from three to six. 

If implemented, it would mean a driver could lose their licence after two such instances

It emerged on Monday that the RSA had told the Oireachtas Transport Committee it wants emergency legislation to do this enacted “as a matter of priority” , with any such change “supported by targeted enforcement and awareness campaigns”.

Furthermore, the Government has told the RSA to tackle immediately the issue of drivers repeatedly renewing learner permits.

The pressure to act further to reduce deaths comes during a year when the number of fatalities on Irish roads is ahead of 2023, which was in itself a devastating year. 

Over the bank holiday weekend, a man in his 40s died in a road crash in Clare, while five teenagers were injured in a single-vehicle crash in Mayo.

RSA chief executive Sam Waide said last week that trends  had begun to improve after a high number of deaths in the first few months of the year.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that 'it's difficult to comprehend people using their phones in this day and age whilst driving'. Picture: Leah Farrell/ RollingNews.ie

However, Road Minister Jack Chambers said it is “too early to say what the wider trend is”.

Asked about the RSA call, Mr Martin said there has been an increase in road fatalities and injuries since covid and the reasons behind this must be looked at.

"I think we need to examine that and analyse that pretty comprehensively before jumping to conclusions as to the best remedies,” he said.

"Penalty points right now are severe enough, actually, for a lot of people.  Just speak to people who build them up. 

I think we need to be looking more broadly at what are the issues underlying the more recent increase and the reversal of what had been a trend of reducing deaths on our roads and certainly then take action.

"I do feel that it's difficult to comprehend people using mobile phones in this day and age whilst driving, that's something that certainly needs examination."

The Tánaiste was attending the launch of construction of the Narrow Water Bridge in Louth with Mr Harris, who said any measures to change speed limits should be "considered in the round".

The Taoiseach said: "I certainly have the view, and I think many in Government do, that we need to think much more of that, hard-hitting ads on our TVs and on our radios.

"We've seen 81 deaths on Irish roads this year, we should begin and end every conversation we have about road safety with that very stark reality."

In a statement, the RSA said any decision in future of penalty points "is a matter for Government".