CABINET IS TODAY set to approve the publication of the Road Traffic Bill, which will target speeding, intoxicated driving, not wearing a seatbelt, and distracted driving. 

However, the bill, if approved, will not contain a measure to increase penalty points for offences committed during bank holiday weekends as the proposal requires further legal scrutiny. 

It was originally expected that such a measure would be included in the bill. 

Minister of State for Transport Jack Chambers will today bring the proposed legislation, which will primarily address penalty points and speed limits, to Cabinet in a bid to reduce road deaths. 

It is understood that Minster Chambers will outline that there has been a worrying trend of increased road deaths in recent years with 178 road deaths and more than 900 serious injuries sustained in 2023.

This compares to 155 fatalities in all of 2022. The Government aims to reduce road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030.

The proposed bill will allow for the application of multiple penalty points in a single stop where more than one offence is committed.  

Under the existing Road Traffic Act 2002, where a person commits more than one penalty point offence on the same occasion, they receive only one set of penalty points for the highest offence committed.

In relation to speed limits, the bill will legislate for default speed limits to be reduced – as proposed in the Speed Limit Review published in September.

The review recommended that default speed limits be reduced from 50km/h to 30km/h in built up areas, from 100km/h to 80km/h for national secondary roads and from 80km/h to 60km/h on rural and local roads. 

The setting of speed limits for Irish roads is a devolved power of local authorities but the bill will see detailed guidance issued to each local authority advising on the approach for determining appropriate speed limits for different road types.

The bill will also address intoxicant testing. 

Currently, gardaí are not mandatorily required to drug test at the scene of a serious collision and instead use their discretion in choosing whether to test or not. 

This legislation will make drug testing mandatory at such scenes on the same basis as currently exists for alcohol testing.

It is understood the Road Traffic Bill will also address two anomalies within existing legislation.

The first relates to garda ability to detain motorists during the period after they have provided a sample for drug testing and a separate anomaly relating to motorists avoiding penalty points which would disqualify them from driving for six months. 

Climate Action Plan 

Separately, Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan will also bring the Climate Action Plan 2024 to Cabinet for approval this morning. 

The plan will be subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and a public consultation which will take place in early 2024.

It is understood the plan will outline that while Ireland is making progress across many key sectors, greater speed and scale is needed to reduce emissions further.

National Maternity Hospital 

Elsewhere at Cabinet this morning, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will give an update on the development of the new National Maternity Hospital at Elm Park.

Works are getting underway at the Elm Park campus this week – including delivering upgrades to electrical systems for the entire campus, new buildings to accommodate a neurology ward, medical records and a staff canteen, as well as new boilers.

These works are taking place now while the procurement process for the main contract is underway in order to save time and money, according to the Minister. 

Donnelly is also expected to update Cabinet on the progress of the procurement process for the main construction works.

The main contract will be awarded once the procurement process is complete. 

New research funding agency

Meanwhile, Minister for Higher Education and Research Simon Harris will today seek Government approval to establish a new research and innovation funding agency, Taighde Éireann (Research Ireland).