Minister for Transport Martin Cullen is to seek consensus across the floor of the Dáil on a new set of measures designed to help reduce death and injury resulting from road collisions.
Mr Cullen confirmed that he has received an outline of 21 proposals from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) following a meeting with Chief Executive Officer, Mr Noel Brett today.
The Minister said he would meet with stakeholders including An Garda Síochána, the Attorney General and the Department of Justice to finalise the proposals before bringing them to Government.
Emphasising the need for cross-party support, Mr Cullen said "These issues are of such importance that I believe we should develop a cross-party consensus on a set of measures that are more likely to be successful in addressing this challenge."
"I will be seeking to meet the opposition Spokespersons on Transport to hear their views on these measures with a view to bringing proposals for the necessary legislation to Government as soon as possible.
There is no one magic solution. Some of the proposals can be addressed immediately and others will need legislative provision."
It is understood the proposals made by the RSA include measures to overhaul the driver-licensing regime and to introduce effectively zero alcohol tolerance levels for learner drivers and those who are newly qualified.
Minister Cullen said: "When I established the new Road Safety Authority I asked them as their first and most urgent task to review the regime in place for particular 'at risk' groups on Irish roads, with a strong focus on the way drivers are taught and tested in Ireland."
