Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien, Minister of State with responsibility for Road Safety, Seán Canney, and Minister of State with responsibility for Rural Transport, Jerry Buttimer, have published the Phase 2 Action Plan, which represents the next stage in implementation of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030,
The primary aim of the Strategy is to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads by 50 per cent this decade and to work towards the achievement of Vision Zero—as close as possible to no deaths or serious injuries on Irish roads—by 2050.
The Phase 2 Action Plan focuses on the delivery of 12 primary actions that have the potential for truly transformative impacts. These primary actions require collaboration across all road safety partners. The actions are supplemented by 77 supporting actions, many of which will also bring substantial road safety benefits.
These primary actions include:
Continued investment in safe, sustainable transport
The rollout of safer default speed limits
Improved data sharing
Camera-based enforcement and other technology advancements 5
The development and delivery of an integrated programme of road safety education across a person’s life.
The Phase 2 Action Plan follows the Safe System approach, which is viewed as best practice globally in the delivery of road safety strategies. The Safe System approach emphasises the shared responsibility among those who design, build, manage and use the roads and vehicles to prevent or reduce collision impacts; and those who provide post-crash response to mitigate injury.
Speaking today, Minister O’Brien said: “I am pleased to publish the Phase 2 Action Plan of the Road Safety Strategy, which delivers on the Government’s continuing commitment to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on our roads. As we are all painfully aware, there has been an increase in road deaths since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, through the work of stakeholders from across the sector, the numbers have been slowly improving since 2023 and it is important that we sustain and accelerate this progress. This Plan sets out how we will achieve this and, at its centre, includes 12 actions that we believe can have a potentially transformative impact on road safety in this country in the coming years.”
Minister Canney said: “I welcome the publication of Phase 2 of our Road Safety Strategy and I look forward to regularly engaging with stakeholders from across the road safety sector on its implementation. I share the view of the Garda Commissioner that we need a road safety reset in this country and I am confident this Action Plan provides a framework through which we can achieve our road safety goals and reduce the number of fatalities on our roads. Every road fatality is one too many, and a tragedy for families and communities across the country. It is incumbent on all of us to do all we can to prevent such tragedies.”
Minister Buttimer said: “This Action Plan sets out clearly that improving road safety is a matter of concern and responsibility for us all. As Minister with responsibility for Rural Transport I am highly aware of the communities that have been blighted by the tragedy of road deaths and collisions, and I look forward to working with all stakeholders to make roads safer for all users.”
The Department of Transport and the Road Safety Authority worked closely with a range of road safety stakeholders, including other Government Departments and State agencies, to formulate the Action Plan.
Speaking on behalf of the Justice Sector, Minister O’Callaghan said: “Road safety is a shared responsibility and one which this Government takes very seriously. We must take the necessary actions that together can improve driver behaviour and ultimately save lives on our roads.
“Ongoing enforcement of road safety laws by An Garda Síochána, the use of improved technology and the continued enhancement of the network of mobile, static and average speed cameras are important aspects of the Road Safety Strategy. They work together with other actions in this strategy to improve road design, driver behaviour and education, severity of penalties, and speed limits.
“I welcome the launch of this next phase of the Road Safety Strategy. While challenges remain, working collaboratively, we can sustain the progress recently evidenced and significantly reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads. As always, I would urge everyone to slow down, pay attention and help us all travel safely.”
To support the development of the Action Plan, the Department of Transport established the Road User Safety Forum in September 2024. It comprises road safety advocates and experts representing a range of interests and perspectives. The forum initially served as a consultative body for the Phase 2 Action Plan, contributing valuable insights to the final plan, and it will now continue its work for the duration of Phase 2 to provide feedback and advice on its implementation.
