2026-01-27

154. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of checkpoints that were located and completed at district level for the period 1 January to 14 January 2026; the number of arrests made, breath samples taken and significant detections made relating to speeding and mobile phone use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5964/26]

This question asks the Minister the number of checkpoints located and completed during a period in January, the number of arrests made, the significant detections made relating to speeding, mobile phone use and other road traffic infractions such as heavy goods vehicles travelling on roads when they should not be.

The most recent information I have on the dedicated road traffic enforcement operation carried out by the Garda is for the period from Monday, 1 December 2025, to Monday, 5 January 2026. That is a period of 35 days. During this period, regrettably, there were 26 fatalities on our roads and over 70 serious collisions, which resulted in a number of people incurring serious and life-altering injuries. There was no shortage of gardaí deployed during the operation. Gardaí carried out nearly 10,000 checkpoints, comprising statutory mandatory intoxicant testing and regular, high-visibility policing checkpoints. A total of 765 people were arrested during this period for driving under the influence of an intoxicant - 56% of those were primarily alcohol-intoxicant and 44% were primarily drugs. Nearly 26,500 drivers were detected for speeding offences by gardaí, mobile safety camera vans and static safety cameras by An Garda's road safety partners, GoSafe. Gardaí seized nearly 3,000 vehicles for a range of offences under the Road Traffic Act 1961. Nearly 1,700 fixed charge notices were issued for the offence of using a mobile phone while driving and over 450 fixed charge notices were issued to vehicle users for not wearing seatbelts. These figures give an indication of the extent of ongoing enforcement activities by An Garda to keep people on our roads safe; and the reality that significant numbers of road users are, regrettably, still prepared to take risks with their own safety and the safety of other road users. It is important to emphasise that checkpoints and enforcement can only be part of the solution. The use of improved technology, additional speed cameras and enhanced data sharing are also helping to ensure a broader approach to road safety enforcement in Ireland.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an bhfreagra sin. I am asking this question in the context of persistent road safety concerns raised with me by constituents and, I would say, all road users. There is a growing perception in my constituency - I am sure we see it around the country - that behaviour on the road has deteriorated, significantly in some cases, and aggressive and risky manoeuvres are more commonplace. There are issues with vehicles breaking red lights at signalised junctions and dangerous U-turns at intersections with filtered traffic signals. As the Minister alluded to, the extent of offences detected by An Garda Síochána is significant and I commend its work. There are other, more persistent issues, such as heavy good vehicles on roads in my constituency like Newcastle Road, Aylmer Road and Kennelsfort Road. Technology can be used to detect such vehicles on those roads, was done quite successfully in London through the London lorry control scheme. Is there any scope to introduce a similar scheme here to free up Garda resources to focus on safe driver behaviour?

I have some statistics for the period 1 January to 14 January 2026. I am advised gardaí performed a total of 3,599 checkpoints between those dates. There were 37 arrests made under sections 4 and 5 of the Road Traffic Act or for failure or refusal to provide a roadside breath or fluid test. Many gardaí are assigned to road policing units and they take it extremely seriously. The statistics I have provided show clearly there is a large amount of policing of roads ongoing. The problem is people continue to break the law and do foolish things such as using mobile phones or drink-driving. Garda enforcement is an important part of the solution but the message needs to get out to people that such behaviour on the roads contributes to and causes increased fatalities.

I agree entirely and I commend the Garda on the significant resources it has put in. The new information the Minister has given me suggests it is maintaining these checkpoints at a similar rate to that achieved in December and I commend that. However, his information also shows the extent of Garda hours being spent on checkpoints. My question focuses on whether there is a role for technology to free up that Garda time to focus elsewhere. The Minister mentioned additional speed cameras, both static and mobile. I welcome them but I encourage him to consider more consistent checks, as was done in London with regard to heavy goods vehicles on roads in urban areas. That is a matter of concern, especially for people whose children walk to school on congested roads like Newcastle Road, Kennelsfort Road, Palmerston Road or Aylmer Road in Newcastle. This improves the compliance of vehicles on those roads and frees up Garda hours. The Minister mentioned the use of drone technology to track vehicles. The Garda needs to consider how to use technology to free up hours for the high-value tasks that are important to protecting people and keeping them safe on our roads.

I agree the Garda should use advanced technology in every sphere of its work. In other aspects of criminality, technology is used to a great extent. Similarly, the Garda should be using technology. There is a very large contract in place between An Garda Síochána and GoSafe, which provides the services for the safety cameras on our roads. The more cameras that are there and the more effective they are, the safer our roads will become. What changes human behaviour on the roads is the prospect of being detected, whether through a Garda checkpoint or penalty points coming. I agree with the Deputy. I will look into the type of technology he has identified that is operating in the UK. An Garda Síochána is aware of other technologies that are available as well. We will seek to bring in that extra technology but there is ultimately a big responsibility on people to slow down. It is people's recklessness and carelessness on the road that are causing these fatalities and they need to change behaviour.