In a major move to improve road safety, Ireland is set to roll out up to 100 new speed cameras across the country in 2025. This initiative is part of the recently announced Budget 2025, which allocates €9 million to An Garda Síochána for enhancing traffic law enforcement.
The funding represents a significant 20% increase for GoSafe cameras compared to the previous year. By the end of this year, 12 additional camera units will already be in operation.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee expressed her support for the measure, citing the shocking number of road deaths in recent times. “We know speed is a significant contributor to road deaths and so it’s vital we leverage technology to make our roads safer for everyone,” she stated.
The placement of these new cameras will be strategically determined based on data from fatal and serious injury collisions, as well as speed data for specific roads. This approach aims to maximize their effectiveness in reducing speeding and saving lives.
In addition to the new cameras, the government plans to create 75 extra road policing units next year. This comes on top of the 75 units added to the road policing bureau this year. Furthermore, all uniformed gardaí will now be required to dedicate 30 minutes per shift to roads policing.
Minister McEntee emphasized the importance of these measures, saying, “Every preventable road death is a tragedy, and together we need to continue to build on the good work already achieved by An Garda Síochána.”
According to The Journal, these initiatives reflect the government’s commitment to reducing serious injuries and deaths on Irish roads, using a combination of technology and increased policing to create safer driving conditions for all road users.