Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 February 2026
259. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Transport the number of recommendations made in a review (details supplied); the number of recommendations that have been implemented; the number that are in the progress of being implemented; and the number that were rejected. [7819/26]
View answerThe independent review of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) conducted by Indecon was published in full in November 2024 and can be accessed at: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/indecon-review-of-the-road-safety-authority.pdf
In total, the report made 34 recommendations. At the core of the recommendations was that the operational services run by the RSA should be separated from its research, media campaigns, partnerships and education programmes to improve road safety. A related recommendation was that the RSA’s public interest work should receive Exchequer subvention.
While the report was a key input into reform recommendations considered by my predecessors as Departmental Ministers and presented to Government, decisions were taken regarding the high-level future direction of the RSA rather than on a recommendation-by-recommendation basis. Since the publication of the review, RSA reform activities have been taken forward on a number of fronts. For the first time since 2012, the fees for certain RSA services increased on 1 January 2025 to raise additional revenue and improve the RSA’s financial position; €18m has been specifically ringfenced for annual investment in public interest work in both 2025 and 2026; the Road Safety Communications Steering Group was established in December 2024; the Department of Transport took over central responsibility for the coordination of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy commencing with the July 2025 publication of the Phase 2 Action Plan; and, a new Chair and three new ordinary members were appointed to the RSA board during 2025 with a stronger focus on the RSA’s operational mandate.
In terms of the recommendation to separate out the RSA’s operational and public interest functions, I have decided not to pursue this recommendation and believe that reform can be delivered more efficiently and effectively within the existing RSA organisational structure. I have directed my officials to prepare revised reform proposals in line with this decision and will present these to Government before any reform progresses.
