One of the key elements of a Government road safety strategy published four years ago has still not been implemented, the Irish Insurance Federation (IIF) complained yesterday.
It criticised the delay in implementing the penalty points system, which was due to be operational in 2000 but is still not up and running.
The IIF's chief executive, Mr Michael Kemp, said over 2,000 people were killed on Irish roads since the strategy, The Road to Safety 1998-2002, was published and more would die unless the new government prioritised the issue of road safety.
He urged the government to:
Earmark the 2 per cent stamp duty on motor insurance premiums for investment in roads. This stamp duty was worth over €25 million in 2000.
Introduce the penalty points system.
Create a Garda road traffic corps .
Provide technology to increase detections for speeding.
The Department of the Environment said it hoped to introduce the penalty points system by the end of this year.
A spokesman for the Department said the IIF was well aware of the difficulties, including legal issues, that had been encountered in implementing the penalty points system.