Latest news with #SeánCanney
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
June bank holiday road safety appeal issued by Gardaí – ‘We don't want to have to call to anybody's door this weekend'
The long weekend will see many people across the country gathering to attend social events, including high-profile events such as Bord Bia Bloom in Phoenix Park in Dublin and BikeFest in Killarney, Co Kerry. Gardaí are preparing for a visible enforcement presence across the country, monitoring for dangerous road behaviour as part of an extensive Garda Roads Policing Operation lasting until Tuesday, June 3. So far this year, 68 people have been killed on Irish roads. The June bank holiday road safety appeal focuses on the theme of drink driving, with warnings issued over the dangers of driving while under the influence of any illicit substances. The appeal comes following RSA research that revealed a stark contrast between off-peak and peak hours of drink driving from 2016-2020, with 70pc of driver fatalities during off-peak hours, between 10pm and 6am, testing positive for alcohol, compared to 21pc during peak times. The appeal was launched off the N83 roundabout in Tuam, Co Galway, with Transport Minister Seán Canney, Garda Chief Superintendent of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau David Harrington and RSA officials in attendance. Speaking at the event, Minister Canney said: 'We're here in Tuam launching an appeal to all drivers for this bank holiday weekend to have respect for everybody else on the roads. 'Speed, distraction, drink and drugs and seatbelts are the four major issues that cause accidents. We want to reduce the number of accidents and want everybody to have a nice weekend, enjoy themselves and make sure we have an accident-free weekend.' Chief Superintendent Harrington said: 'As we approach this June Bank Holiday Weekend, I'd like to appeal to all road users to pay extra care and attention in their use of our road networks, particularly in respect of our vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. 'I would ask all drivers to reduce speed, wear their seatbelts, remove distractions such as mobile phones and under no circumstances drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. ADVERTISEMENT 'We don't want to have to call to anybody's door to deliver bad news over the course of this weekend when people should be enjoying themselves and carrying out safe journeys across the country. Please be mindful of your behaviour on the roads this weekend.' The appeal comes off the back of a devastating weekend on Irish roads, where four women were killed in separate incidents in Wexford, Clare, Meath and Tyrone. RSA spokesperson Sarah O'Connor urged the public to be vigilant on the roads, noting the lasting impact a tragedy can have. 'Every single one of those collisions is the most devastating day in a family's life, but the devastation doesn't go away after that day – it marks a community, family and friend group,' she said. 'What we're really saying for this bank holiday weekend is we can change this; we can turn this around for the remainder of the month and for the month of June. There were 11 fatalities last June in Ireland, there were 55 across the last five Junes in Ireland. 'What would this June be like if there were none? Could we all buy into that and change our behaviour and adapt to keep this June a very safe month? The reality is that the impact is so tragic and so marked. 'We deal very regularly with advocates, the minister has been meeting with advocates extensively in the last number of months, and the loss is so profound. 'We're really asking people to make small, manageable decisions so that you do not hurt anyone, and you do not get hurt this weekend and this month.'
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- RTÉ News
Drivers urged to be aware of vulnerable people on roads this weekend
An appeal has been launched by An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) calling on road users to be vigilant and never to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs ahead of the bank holiday weekend. With large crowds expected to travel to large events like Bloom in Dublin's Phoenix Park, Dublin, and BikeFest in Killarney, Co Kerry, drivers are reminded to stay alert, avoid distractions, and share the road responsibly. The RSA is reminding the public that this time of year typically sees an increase in cyclist and motorcyclist casualties, asking drivers to slow down and be mindful of vulnerable road users. The public is also being asked to be aware of road closures in the Ballsbridge and Donnybrook area as a result of the Women's Mini Marathon which begins at 12.30pm on Sunday, 1 June, and to plan ahead. So far this year, 68 people have died on Irish roads. Last weekend, four women were killed in separate incidents in counties Wexford, Clare, Meath and Tyrone. In 2024, a total of 174 people died as a result of road traffic collisions. Analysis by the RSA has found that over one third of driver fatalities during the years 2016-2020 had a positive toxicology report result for alcohol. The analysis shows a stark contrast between off-peak and peak hours, as 70% of driver fatalities during off-peak hours (10pm–5.59am) had a positive toxicology for alcohol, compared to 21% during peak times. Minister of State at the Department of Transport Seán Canney said the RSA data was deeply concerning. "The figures show a consistent pattern of people taking deadly risks by driving under the influence, especially at night. My message this weekend is simple: never, ever drink and drive. "It's not worth the risk to your life or anyone else's. I urge everyone to act responsibly and make safe choices on our roads." Chief Superintendent David Harrington of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said that driving under the influence not only impairs your driving performance but removes the capacity to drive safely. "Some people may take the risk of driving under influence because they believe they won't encounter gardaí on the road to detect them, but the reality is that we are on the roads conducting checkpoints and are called to the scene of every one of the fatal or serious injury collisions caused by a driver that has been drinking". Meanwhile the Coast Guard, RNLI and Water Safety Ireland are urging the public to take extra precautions in and around water over the weekend. Kevin Whitney, Head of Operations Section at the Irish Coast Guard said that as the June bank holiday typically marks the start of summer celebrations for many. "We are urging everyone to be mindful of the dangers, plan ahead, and follow the appropriate safety guidelines for your activity". There has been a 10% increase in drownings so far this year, compared to the same period last year. To stay safe, the public is advised to check the weather and tides before going to the shore, and be aware of rip currents at sea. Other advice includes: Never swim alone, and inform someone of your plans to go swimming. Always swim within your depth and stay within your depth. When on the water always wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid. If you see somebody in trouble on the water or along the coast, dial 112 and ask for the Coast Guard. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has warned that bank holiday weekends are usually a busy time for acute and community health services and may result in long wait times at emergency departments.
Irish Times
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Times
Driving bans could not be implemented on more than 2,250 disqualified motorists
Almost 80 per cent of about 3,000 drivers disqualified by the courts in the first three months of this year did not have their bans automatically implemented because motorists did not provide their licence with their unique driver number. Minister of State for Transport Seán Canney said the department received 2,877 individual court disqualification orders between January and March 31st 'and of those, 2,260 [79 per cent] did not have a driver number'. In such cases a manual search is undertaken to 'attempt to match the record'. If this proves unsuccessful then a 'shell' record is created on the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF), a database containing details of 2.9 million registered vehicles and their owners. Mr Canney said some disqualified foreign licence holders drivers would not have an NVDF record. It was also not possible to match some Irish licence holders 'to the appropriate driver record'. READ MORE He said: 'This shell record remains in place for the duration of the disqualification.' But Susan Gray, of the Parc road safety campaign group, said 'often the ban gets expunged once the disqualification period is over if they haven't managed to match the licence holder. It disappears and it's not on your record. Effectively it never existed'. Many bans are for six months, and 'a lot of the six-months' disqualifications will be finished before gardaí even know they were disqualified', she said. Mr Canney provided the figures in a parliamentary reply to Fine Gael TD Emer Currie . The Dublin West TD said 'the gaps in the system must be addressed so that accurate information is available to insurance companies and the gardaí to keep disqualified drivers off the road'. She also said: 'We've seen a big jump in the number of uninsured vehicles being seized since the new Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID) and Garda mobility app were introduced last year. We need a system that works here too.' The high number of motorists failing to present their licences is a long-term problem but, in a bid to rectify it, new regulations were introduced at the end of March requiring insurance companies to obtain driver numbers before providing cover. The rules aim to capture driver numbers of all motorists and involve linking three databases – from the department, Insurance Ireland and IMID. These have, however, yet to be integrated. Campaigner Ms Gray said the new regulations marked 'the start of a process. We welcome it, but it's only a start and not a job done. We want to know when the insurance companies and gardaí will have instant, real-time access to the Driver File'. Mr Canney said: 'This matter is the responsibility of An Garda Síochána , the Department of Justice and the Courts Service , but my department will be supportive of any measures [to] address the issue as it will improve our subsequent ability to match court orders to driver records.' The Courts Service has, however, consistently said 'a court registrar or any other member of staff can only record licence/permit details where the relevant documentation is produced to the court'. Ms Gray, who has campaigned on road safety for more than two decades, said the Minister might say it was the responsibility of other agencies, but 'we believe the Department of Transport and the RSA [ Road Safety Authority ] have a massive part to play in this. If they don't get that information from the court they have to go through a whole process of trying to manually match it'. She urged government departments, courts and agencies to 'work together rather than blaming each other for the failure to secure a convicted motorist's unique driver number in court. It's in all their interests'.
Irish Examiner
26-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
'Nothing off the table' to improve safety following weekend deaths, says road transport minister
There is 'nothing off the table' to improve road safety, the road transport minister has said, as a bleak weekend saw four women died in separate accidents in Ireland in 24 hours. Two pedestrians, a driver, and a cyclist died on Saturday in another stark weekend for road safety. A pedestrian aged in her late 20s died following a crash in Co Wexford on Saturday around 3pm. In Co Meath, a woman aged in her 60s was killed in a crash on Saturday. The woman, a pedestrian, died following the crash involving a car that occurred at approximately 7.10pm in Ashbourne. Elsewhere, in Co Clare, a woman aged in her 70s died in a collision involving a bike and a tractor. The incident occurred at Toonagh, Tulla, at around 12.45pm. Meanwhile, a Donegal woman was killed following a two-vehicle collision outside Omagh on Saturday. Gardaí said investigations are ongoing and no cause has been given for any of the fatal accidents as of yet. Seán Canney, the super junior minister responsible for road transport, said he planned to meet with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) in the coming weeks to discuss measures to improve safety. Education While not referring to the specific incidents of the weekend, Mr Canney spoke in general terms that improving education of drivers was key to reducing injuries and deaths on Irish roads. 'I think we have to put a dose of reality back into everybody. Our roads can be dangerous if we are distracted, if we have drink-driving, if we have drug-driving, driving at speed." Mr Canney said there was 'nothing off the table' to deal with increased road deaths. On increasing the number of gardaí attached to roads policing units, Mr Canney said he would welcome further resources. However, he highlighted new laws would make it easier for gardaí to deal with offenders. He added that new average speed cameras were being rolled out to assist in dealing with speeding. 'At the end of the day, the object of the exercise is to slow people down, not to catch them,' Mr Canney said. I think that's the message as well: Slow down, you won't be caught, take it easy, get there safely Safety campaigners repeated calls for a 'radical' change to how children and teenagers are educated around road safety. 'Human error' Olivia Keating, who has been campaigning since she suffered severe injuries when she was knocked off her bike and left for dead on the N71 near Bandon in 2016, said: 'More than 90% of incidents on our roads are not accidents. 'Yes, freak accidents do occur. But in an overwhelming majority of cases, it is down to human error with someone not paying attention, or travelling too fast to react to a sudden situation," she said. 'We don't just need to educate kids, but we also need to educate adults." Elber Twomey, whose husband Connie, 16-month-old son Oisín, and unborn daughter Elber Marie were killed when a suicidal driver rammed their car in 2012, said: "For there to be anything near the zero deaths targets set by Europe on our roads, there needs to be a radical overhaul of the way we teach our children about road safety."
Extra.ie
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Extra.ie
Driving test waiting times to be cut to 10 weeks, says RSA
Lengthy waiting times for driving tests will be cut to ten weeks by the start of September, the Road Safety Authority has claimed. Currently, provisional licence-holders are waiting an average of 27 weeks for their test. And there is an 'unprecedented' backlog of 100,000 L-plate drivers seeking a test date. Now Road Safety Authority (RSA) staff have offered to work bank holidays and conduct tests early in the morning, later in the evening and on Saturdays to bring down the waiting times. Lengthy waiting times for driving tests will be cut to ten weeks by the start of September, the Road Safety Authority has claimed. Pic: Shutterstock RSA chief Sam Waide apologised for the delays and said: 'Our team has developed a focused, projectionbased plan to improve availability and reduce wait times. Every part of the system is being mobilised to deliver for the public. 'The RSA will publish progress updates every fortnight via its website to ensure full transparency and public awareness as the plan advances. We're asking customers to support the effort by cancelling early if they cannot attend, so that appointments can be offered to others.' Learner drivers were also reminded to make sure their car is fit for a test, as more than 4,000 tests could not be carried out this year because cars did not have an NCT disc, were not taxed, the driver was not insured, or the car was not roadworthy. Provisional licence-holders are waiting an average of 27 weeks for their test. Pic: Shutterstock The RSA's plan includes fast-tracking new examiners, enabling early deployment of them to test centres; longer testing hours, including Saturdays and bank holidays, with tests running from 7.25am to 7pm; and targeted manual intervention in the booking system to ensure test dates are issued to the areas of greatest demand. The RSA will also open new driving test centres, bringing the national total from the current 41 to 60. It is also looking at other ways to deal with any potential future surges in demand for driving tests. The number of driving tests has steadily increased year on year. In 2021 there were 157,183 tests. In 2022 that rose to 180,696 and it hit 212,525 in 2023. The number hit a record 253,850 last year, a 61% increase since 2021. Road Safety Authority (RSA) staff have offered to work bank holidays and conduct tests early in the morning, later in the evening and on Saturdays to bring down the waiting times. Pic: Shutterstock The wait for learner drivers in April varied significantly depending on the test centre, though all centres had at least a five-month wait. Navan, Co. Meath, and Tallaght in Dublin had the longest wait at 43 weeks. Galway's Carnmore test centre had the next-longest wait, estimated at 42 weeks. The centres in Clifden, Co. Galway, Tralee, Co. Kerry, and Gorey, Co. Wexford, had the shortest queue time last month – but applicants still faced a 21-week wait. Minister of state Seán Canney said that 'all options' are under consideration to address the backlog. 'The service is not right and it needs to be rectified,' he told the Dáil last week. The wait for learner drivers in April varied significantly depending on the test centre, though all centres had at least a five-month wait. Pic: Shutterstock Mr Canney said he had instructed the RSA to review its plan to get test times down to ten weeks and 'identify further measures that will bring forward the date for achieving the target'. The new chair of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Michael Murphy TD, said he was seeking an early meeting with the RSA 'to allow them to outline what they are doing to tackle growing waiting lists for driving tests'. Out of almost 370,000 L-plate drivers last year, nearly 160,000 were on their second provisional licence at least, while 37,000 drivers have rolled over to at least their fifth. All face premiums of around €2,000 for annual motor insurance and lose out on significant savings by not passing their test. Dominic Lumsden of Peopl Insurance said: 'There are substantial savings to be made by moving from a learner permit to a full licence – to the tune of about €386 a year for some young drivers.'
