Lack of funds is putting lives at risk - Naughten

The Government's failure to adequately fund the rollout of the penalty points system is putting lives at risk, according to Fine Gael's spokesman on transport, Denis Naughten.

The Longford / Roscommon TD said yesterday (April 22) that low-level enforcement had resulted because of a lack of resources. He made his comments after it was revealed that speeding or drink-drive motorists are less likely to be caught than their European counterparts.

The report carried out by international road safety expert Dr Fred Wegman, urged the Government to establish a dedicated Traffic Corps, which would be funded by "income from fines". Enforcement on the roads must be stepped up 50-fold in order to slow motorists down and cut road deaths, the unpublished report claimed.

The key to reducing road deaths is to instill "a fear among road users that offences will be detected and punished," the report concluded. Deputy Naughten commented: "Neither the Government nor the Transport Minister have allocated adequate resources to the Gardai to ensure this level of enforcement."