C&AG: More than 2,700 speeding offences invalidated after camera defects
Ireland’s fleet of speed cameras is owned by private company GoSafe and contracted to An Garda Síochána. File picture
More than 2,700 offending drivers avoided penalty points and fines in 2025 due to issues with two static speed cameras in Mayo and Kilkenny.
An Garda Síochána missed out on €445,000 in fines due to the defects, according to the annual report from the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Ireland’s fleet of speed cameras is owned by private company GoSafe and contracted to An Garda Síochána.
In February 2025, gardaí identified issues with a camera on the N17 which had been installed two months earlier. The camera, which had issued €300,000 in fines to 1,871 drivers, was found to lack valid certification of calibration.
Refunds were issued to all drivers who had paid their fines, with penalty points also removed.
In June 2025, another issue was identified with a camera on the N25 in Kilkenny. The camera had been challenged by an offender over the validity of its location.
The offence location for the speeding incidents was recorded as ‘N25, Ballynamona, Mullinavat, Kilkenny’. The camera was instead located in Ballynamona, Glenmore, a townland 12km away from Mullinavat.
The N25 does not run through Mullinavat.
The listing of the incorrect townland on the fixed charge notice rendered 914 speeding charges, valued at €146,000, invalid. The fines were issued between May 30 and June 30, 2025.
GoSafe’s private contract with An Garda Síochána did not include provisions to recoup the losses recorded.
“An Garda Síochána has taken steps to strengthen controls over the static camera and FCPN systems,” the report from the State auditor said.
“However, there is scope for formalisation of procedures to help avoid situations where motorists detected speeding are able to avoid the appropriate statutory financial and licence point penalties.”
The report said GoSafe is now conducting daily compliance checks to ensure that every camera is operating with certified calibration status.
New cameras must now be reviewed by An Garda Síochána’s Office for Safety Camera Management to confirm their “integrity” before they are added to Garda IT systems.
An Garda Síochána paid GoSafe roughly €23.6 million for the provision of speed cameras in 2025. The company has secured €200m worth of State contracts since 2012.
GoSafe posted an €840,000 post-tax profit in 2025.
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