Cyclist is 12th to die on State's roads in two days

The cyclist killed in a crash in Mullingar overnight was the 12th person to die on the Republic's roads in the past two days.

Patrick Gallagher (45) of Cloughan, Co Westmeath, was struck by a car while cycling at Rathconnell on the Delvin road at 12.30am. Gardaí in Mullingar are investigating.

Road crash victims John Maloney, from Ballinasloe, Yvonne Mahoney, from Loughrea, and her daughter, Bobbi Ann Mahoney. Road crash victims John Maloney, from Ballinasloe, Yvonne Mahoney, from Loughrea, and her daughter, Bobbi Ann Mahoney.

The death toll on the State's roads this year is now 217, 22 more than at the same date last year.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Irelandtoday, the chairman of the Roads Safety Authority, Gay Byrne, described the deaths as a tragedy. He implored motorists to slow down and not to drink and drive.

"I don't know what else we can do, we have done all the horror ads, but there are obviously a great number of people who don't look at television, listen to radio, or read newspapers and don't get the message," he said.

"July has always been the worst month in the year for fatal road traffic accidents," he added. This is due to schools being off, people going on holiday and travelling more, he said.

Mr Byrne predicted the introduction of random breath testing, privatised fixed speed cameras and increased penalties for drivers using mobile phones would improve road safety.

But he said people are laying blame at the door of the gardaí regardless of their record on penalty points and road offences. "If the numbers are up they're criticised for shooting fish in a barrel, if the numbers of penalty points and summonses are down, they're criticised for not being around.

"Gardaí are doing the best they can, but they tell us there are not enough to do the things that people require them to do," he added. "People are responsible for their own driving techniques and their own behaviour on the roads."

Fine Gael transport spokesman Shane McEntee claimed the rising death toll shows Government efforts to curb road deaths were failing and criticised the delays in implementing the Road Traffic Bill. Mr Byrne indicated this morning that the Bill will not be implemented until the autumn.

"There is absolutely no reason for the Bill to be stalled any longer than it has to, but the Government's negligent attitude suggests it is only paying lip service to road safety," Mr McEntee claimed.

"Too many initiatives, like penalty points, have failed to make an impact on safety levels because they have not been backed up by resources and enforcement. There is a real danger now that this will happen all over again."

Labour's Roisin Shortall said she has "serious concerns" as to whether the Government is doing enough to tackle the carnage on the roads.

"We continuously hear that speed is the big killer on our roads. If that's the case, why have we been waiting for so long for action on speed cameras? The contract to operate the system must be awarded as soon as possible," she said. Ms Shorthall also called on the Government to tackle the driver-test waiting lists and to increase efforts to curb drink driving.

Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris called on Minister for Transport Martin Cullen to discuss the possibility of introducing road safety programmes in schools with Minister for Education Mary Hanafin. "Education must be a key tool in the fight against the carnage on our roads," the Kerry North TD said. "Offender punishment alone will not work."

Mr Ferris also called for Gardaí to concentrate on drivers speeding on secondary roads rather than on easy targets on motorways, for driving instructors to be better regulated and for roads to be improved, particularly in rural areas.

In the Laois crash Paul Geary (21) from Mitchelstown, Co Cork; Thomas Frewen (22), from Kilworth, Co Cork; and his sister, Mary Frewen (19), died when their car collided with an articulated lorry outside Portlaoise, at about 2.45pm. Another man in the car was seriously injured and remained in Portlaoise General Hospital.

Alan Dempsey (24) of Sheephill Park, Blanchardstown, died in hospital yesterday evening several hours after a dumper truck struck his motorised wheelchair at Cardiffsbridge Road in Finglas. Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to contact them.

In other crashes yesterday, Colin Heddarman (23), of Beech Park, Ballincollig, died in a two-car crash on the Cork-to-Macroom road shortly after 8am. In Co Clare, Seamus Whelan (54), Mountrivers, Doonbeg, died when the car in which he was a passenger hit a bridge in Kilkee at about 5.15am. The driver of the car was seriously injured.

On Sunday, Johnny Maloney (33) of Ballinasloe; Yvonne Mahoney (24) of Loughrea; and her daughter, Bobbi-Ann Mahoney, died after a two-car crash near Athenry.

Later on Sunday, Michelle Glancy (9), Clonterm, Longford, died when the car in which she was a passenger overturned at Cloonturk on the Longford to Kilashee road.

Patrick Higgins of Drumming, Ardagh, Co Longford, died after being struck by a car in Carrickboy, Co Longford, on Sunday morning.

Yesterday, three young people were killed in a collision between a car and a lorry in Co Laois, and a man was killed by a lorry in Dublin.