Taoiseach says 86% of road deaths are caused by drivers

Some 86 per cent of road deaths are caused by the behaviour of drivers, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil. He said the Government had spent significant money on improving roads and facilities for drivers, but some people did not take adequate care.

"I accept that some people drive at 100mph, and some do not observe any of the road traffic laws. All the Garda can do is strictly enforce the law."

Mr Ahern was replying to Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, who said he was raising the "carnage on the roads" with the Taoiseach before the May Bank Holiday weekend.

"This year to date, unfortunately and tragically, 118 people have been killed on our roads," he said. "This figure, unfortunately, reflects an increase on a month-to-month basis as against 2004."

He said Minister for Justice Michael McDowell had admitted that nine of 20 speed camera boxes were out of action. The Minister had added that it took between two and eight months to repair a speed camera box.

"Given what the Minister for Finance said yesterday that €100 billion would be spent on infrastructure over the next 20 years, North and South, it is incredible that it takes between two and eight months to repair a wooden box on top of a pole.

"Seven years on there are three speed cameras but only half the number of boxes that are operable, and it takes eight months to repair one of those. It is no wonder that making appeals to the mentality of drivers is in vain given the increasing speed on many of our roads."

Mr Kenny said if the Taoiseach travelled the roads he would invite him to look at what was happening regarding motorcyclists.

"It is impossible to see them coming from behind given that they are travelling at speeds of well over 100mph.

"It is a shame the Government is not in a position to apply speed camera boxes and speed cameras to implement the law of the land that it promised would be implemented seven years ago."

Mr Ahern said he would like to see the powers dealing with road traffic issues fully implemented, particularly at long weekends. He accepted speed cameras should not remain unrepaired for more than a few hours. "Resources are being devoted to improvements in infrastructure and to issues of road safety designed to make the roads safer."