Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Boylan welcomes North / South partnership approach to Road Safety

Published: 20 January, 2010

Cathal Boylan, Sinn Féin Road Safety spokesperson, has welcomed plans for mutual recognition of penalty points and the potential for a co ordinated approach to new drink drive limits North and South.

'Road Safety is a major concern either side of the border. We can never rest on our laurels when it comes to trying to reduce death and serious injury on our roads. While figures have gradually decreased over a number of years, we did see a rise from 107 in 2008 to 115 in 2009, a 7% increase. So there is always work to be done to educate the public.'

'An agreement on mutual recognition of driving disqualifications has now been reached and will come into effect on 28th January. A project plan will be developed to pursue the mutual recognition of penalty points, which will be a complex and longer term process as it affects more motorists and the penalty points system differs in each jurisdiction.'

The Newry and Armagh MLA continued;

'The issue of drink driving and blood alcohol limits and the positions currently being examined by Ministers in relation to this have been noted, and it is has been agreed that efforts to deliver a co ordinated approach to the introduction of new limits should continue.'

'We are slowly moving to an All Ireland approach to road safety which makes sense on an island our size with an invisible border. Efforts need to continue to be made to ensure this approach makes a difference to the carnage on our roads, recognising that dealing with issues such as drink / drug driving, disqualifications and penalty points on an island wide basis makes sense and is a crucial first step and should be welcomed by all with an interest in Road Safety.