Road deaths target may not be met - minister

The target of cutting road deaths to under 300 this year will be difficult to achieve, a Government Minister admitted today.

Minister of State for Transport Pat "The Cope" Gallagher says the target - set out in the current National Road Safety strategy - will be difficult to achieve given recent trends.

Mr Gallagher told delegates at a safe driving conference in Ennis, Co Clare, that road safety was "now at the very top of the political agenda".

He said the Government's ministerial committee on road safety had met twice in recent weeks to pursue what he described as "an integrated approach on all cross cutting issues".

The Minister said: "Increased levels of enforcement, advertising and awareness campaigns, legislative proposals and engineering measures will strengthen the fight against speeding and drink driving.

"Ultimately however, it is a matter for individual road users to act responsibly on our roads and to take responsible decisions."

Mr Gallagher said the process of establishing a new Road Safety Authority was well advanced.