Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Building on recommendations made to my Department last year by a camera enforcement working group under the National Transport Authority, the Department has appointed Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to lead the development of a National Safety Camera Enforcement Strategy. This strategy will outline the structure, funding and partnership and governance arrangements associated with the management and implementation of camera enforcement in Ireland and is expected to be finalised before the end of 2024.

As part of the development of this strategy, the TII-led working group will consider if any legislative amendments are required and make recommendations in this regard. This consideration will include data protection issues, and could lead to a data impact assessment if necessary. At this stage, neither my Department nor the Road Safety Authority has carried out a data impact assessment on mobile phone detection. However, my officials will shortly seek legal advice on the camera enforcement powers conferred on An Garda Síochána by the Road Traffic Act 2010. This advice will be an important input into the development of the camera strategy and associated data protection issues.

Section 81 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 provides for Garda use of cameras, radar guns or other electronic apparatus to provide prima facie evidence in certain traffic offences. Although originally drafted to ensure a legal basis for speed cameras and speed guns, Section 81 provides for camera enforcement of a range of road traffic offences. As well as exceeding the speed limit, these offences include careless or dangerous driving, red-light running and bus lane infringements.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Section 81 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 provides for the use of cameras, radar guns or other electronic apparatus by An Garda Síochána to obtain evidence to assist in the detection of specific traffic offences. Section 81 requires electronic apparatus used to capture this type of evidence to be approved in advance by An Garda Síochána or Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

As well as the detection of speed limit infringements, Section 81 also provides for camera enforcement of other road traffic offences, including careless driving, dangerous driving, dangerous parking, and bridge strikes. It also covers any contravention of traffic and parking regulations under Section 35 of the 1994 Road Traffic Act, which includes offences as breaking red lights, dangerous overtaking, and driving or parking on a bus lane, cycle track or footpath.

Section 81 powers have been successfully used by TII, working with An Garda Síochána, for detecting speeding offences and it is available to other road authorities on a similar basis for other offences.

TII is currently leading the development of a National Safety Camera Enforcement Strategy, which is expected to be finalised before the end of 2024.