National Vehicle and Driver File, Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2026: Second Stage Dail Éireann — 2026-09-17 ============================================================ Grace Boland (FG), Dublin Fingal West Every one of us knows families and communities who have been affected by serious road traffic collisions and behind every statistic is a person, family and community whose lives have been changed forever. That is why we have a responsibility to ensure our laws, enforcement systems and road infrastructure are as effective as possible in preventing collisions and reducing harm. That is why I welcome the Bill. While much of it is technical in nature, its purpose is straightforward. It is about making our roads safer, ensuring public bodies have access to better information, modernising how key road traffic systems operate and strengthening the legal framework that underpins many aspects of our road safety policy. One of the most important aspects of this Bill is the provision allowing collision data collected by An Garda Síochána to be shared more effectively with local authorities. Too often we hear concerns from local communities about dangerous stretches of road, recurring collisions or persistent safety issues. Residents know there is a problem but decisions can be delayed because the necessary data are not readily available. That is why provisions relating to speed limits are important. Speed limits are among the most important tools available to improve road safety data. They influence the likelihood of a collision occurring and the severity of its consequences when it occurs. The flexibility provided under this legislation in speed limit implementation is sensible. However, these decisions must remain firmly evidence-based and factors such as road design, collision history, traffic volumes, nearby development and the presence of vulnerable road users must continue to guide decision-making. When we discuss road safety, we cannot focus exclusively on motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. Children travelling to school, older people and people with disabilities also have a right to use our roads safely. For those road users, even relatively small reductions in vehicle speed can make a significant difference and that is why ensuring speed limits are applied appropriately and consistently remains such an important part of our broader road strategy. While I am speaking about speed limits, as the Minister of State will be aware, our local authorities have been tasked with examining local roads and implementing 30 km per hour speed limits where appropriate. I would very much like the Minister of State to give an update to the House on its status in each of the local authorities and if he does not have up-to-date information on the status, for him to engage directly with local authorities as I am hearing that there are some difficulties with local authorities moving that process forward. We all want our roads to be safer. Speed is a huge driver in that and it is important we see that process concluded as soon as possible. I also welcome the provisions relating to dangerous and careless driving offences. At present the situation can arise that a jury does not consider the threshold for dangerous driving has been met, but cannot consider whether the evidence supports a conviction for careless driving. That means we get outcomes that do not accurately reflect the facts of a case. Allowing a jury to return a verdict of the lesser offence of careless driving, where appropriate, is a common-sense reform and I welcome it. It will help ensure that accountability better reflects the evidence presented while maintaining the rights and protections that are fundamental to our justice system. I also welcome the measures relating to mobile camera van operators. Requiring operators to attend court in very routine cases is not always the best use of limited resources. At the same time, efficiency must never come at the expense of fairness. Where a genuine dispute exists, defendants must continue to have the opportunity to challenge evidence and to seek the attendance of a witness. It is important that public confidence in road traffic enforcement is maintained alongside any efficiency gains. The national vehicle and driver file sits at the centre of many of the systems that people interact with every day, whether renewing a driver's licence, taxing a vehicle or complying with road traffic regulations. Maintaining the accuracy, effectiveness and legal robustness of that system is essential. I welcome the decision to remove the requirement for a paper motor tax disc. It is a sensible modernisation of a system that has changed very little despite the widespread digitalisation of our public services. Most motorists now expect to access information and complete transactions online. I welcome that our legislation will reflect that. The key requirement is now that the electronic systems underpinning all of this are reliable, accurate and easy to access. Gardaí, local authorities and members of the public must be able to verify a vehicle's status quickly and with confidence. We must also ensure that people who are less comfortable using digital services are not left behind as these changes are implemented. I very much welcome the statutory basis being provided for the Check My Vehicle service. This service gives members of the public access to important information and helps support transparency, compliance and consumer confidence. Modernisation of systems does not always attract headlines but it can save people time, improve their experience of interacting with the State and reduce the State's administrative costs. As services continue to expand and evolve, privacy considerations must remain to the fore. Public confidence in the State's digital services depends on people knowing their information is protected and that sensitive personal details cannot be disclosed. Communities across the country want to see tangible improvements in road safety. They want safer junctions, safer routes to schools, safer town centres and faster action where risks are identified. The measures contained in the Bill may appear technical but their purpose is anything but. Better data sharing, more effective enforcement, appropriate speed limits and modernised public services all contribute to one common objective - preventing collisions and saving lives. I share my colleagues' concerns in relation to enforcement. That is also a huge piece, as is training and education, where there is scope for improvement. Ultimately, the steps we take with this legislation and with regard to enforcement and awareness and education campaigns will all be measured by one statistic. Is the number of road deaths and pedestrian injuries caused by vehicles falling? I very much hope this legislation passes swiftly through the House and that the various sections are commenced as quickly as possible. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-17/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:48+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-09-17