Calls for roll-out of automated red-light enforcement – ‘road death toll is now a public health crisis’

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

Cllr Marie Casserly has called for automated red light camera enforcement to be introduced saying “Ireland’s road death toll is now a public health crisis.”

Speaking to her motion at the April meeting of Sligo County Council Cllr Casserly said enforcement in relation to road traffic offences is “Moving in the wrong direction.”

Addressing the meeting Cllr Casserly said, “I am bringing this motion today to call on the Minister for Transport to urgently introduce a nationwide rollout of automated red-light camera enforcement at signalised junctions, in partnership with An Garda Síochána, the Road Safety Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, and to ensure that suitable junctions in County Sligo are included in any pilot or national implementation.

“We can no longer view what is happening on our roads as a series of isolated incidents. Ireland’s road death toll now meets the definition of a public health crisis. Last year, 190 people lost their lives on roads in the Republic, and across the island, one person is dying every 35 hours. These are not random events, they are preventable.

“What is particularly concerning is that enforcement is moving in the wrong direction. Speeding detections have fallen by 43 per cent over the past decade. At a time when we should be strengthening enforcement, we are seeing a clear weakening of it.”

Cllr Casserly compared automated enforcement in Ireland to other European countries noting, “Phase 2 of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030 shows that Ireland is still in a catch-up phase when it comes to automated enforcement, including camera and average-speed systems. We are behind countries like Italy, France and the UK. Ireland currently has just 12 automated cameras, compared to approximately 1,000 in Finland. That is a stark contrast, and it highlights how much more we need to do.

“We know that automated enforcement works. Red-light cameras, in particular, are proven to reduce dangerous driving behaviour at junctions, improve compliance, and ultimately save lives. They act as both a deterrent and an enforcement tool, especially where Garda resources are limited.

“This motion is about taking a practical, evidence-based step to improve road safety. It is also about ensuring that Sligo is included in any pilot or rollout so that our communities benefit from these life-saving measures.”

The motion was supported by Cllr Donal Gilroy who said he raised the issue in 2019 and reiterated the call for the rollout of “Automated cameras that change the traffic lights to red if you are driving too fast.”

Article Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.