Again last night there was traffic chaos across Dublin after the M50 was closed due to a fire near the bridge. This rippled across the city and the counties surrounding Dublin. For those relying on public transport, there is more and more evidence of a system falling apart or not functioning: ghost buses, cancelled trains, and a Luas that shuts down due to a storm. Commuters are tearing their hair out and the roll-back of remote working arrangements is putting more workers on the road from places like my constituency of Wexford.

My colleague, Deputy Wall, has raised the need for a new Operation Freeflow, a real right to remote work and better roads policing. Every TD in this House can recount to the Taoiseach problems with public transport in their constituencies but he has abandoned the 2:1 ratio of investment in much-needed buses, trains and trams. Those travelling to work in this House every day know the chaos that driving or commuting to Dublin now involves. With increased congestion, we are also seeing driver behaviour deteriorating. Those who follow the rules of the road can only sit and watch those reckless drivers breaking the rules, acting with impunity. It is a vicious cycle.

The road safety campaign group, PARC, has highlighted the decline in the number of motoring fines in recent years. This summer we saw the publication of the Crowe report on roads policing. That should have been a wake-up call on the need for stronger action. Sadly, the rise in dangerous driving and issues with roads policing is reflected in the rise in deaths on our roads. Already this year, 180 people have been killed on our roads, eight more than last year. In recent weeks, there has been a shocking number of horrific accidents. Each death is a tragedy for the families of those killed that will be deeply felt next week as they gather for the Christmas the Taoiseach has just spoken about. If current trends continue, the overall figure will surpass the 184 killed in 2023, which was the highest number in almost a decade. It is not clear what strategy the Government has to address this distressing increase. The official goal is to halve road deaths by 2030. Instead, Ireland is one of the few European countries where road deaths are increasing. The road safety strategy is failing.

We learn from The Journal today that the Government has abandoned the plan agreed last year to reform the Road Safety Authority by splitting it into two separate bodies – one that is responsible for road safety and another for operational activities like the NCT and driver testing. This was recommended following an independent external review of the Road Safety Authority. What is the Government's plan to reduce road deaths as we enter the most dangerous period of the year for road users? Why has the Government abandoned the plan to reform the Road Safety Authority? Will there be an increased level of roads policing and enforcement over the next two weeks?

The Deputy has identified a number of issues, ranging from public transport and the M50 to road safety. For me, the latter is the most significant issue. There is very significant traffic congestion on the M50. It is a vital piece of national infrastructure. Growth in our economy and in our population has added significantly to the traffic. Overall levels on the M50 have grown by 11% since 2019. There is huge investment going into public transport. I do not agree with the 2:1 ratio. It is too crude a mechanism. A lot depends on when a project comes to completion, as it draws down an awful lot more money than at the beginning. The 2:1 ratio is not a sensible framework on a year-to-year basis to judge investment in public transport versus investment in roads.

In regard to investment in roads, the Macroom bypass, for example, was huge for safety. It was better for safety, air pollution and the quality of life of the people living in all the towns – Macroom, Baile Bhuirne and others - along the way, yet people would say it is anti-climate or whatever to build a bypass like that. I have never accepted the ideological orthodoxy of some people on that side of the fence. At the same time, we need to invest hugely in public transport. That is what we are doing with BusConnects, MetroLink and DART+. We now have about 1 million public transport journeys a day. Last year alone we had over 343 million public transport journeys. That is increasing but we need more on that front.

Historically, the establishment of the Road Safety Authority was the most significant measure taken in respect of dealing substantially with road deaths. As I have previously done in the House, I pay a lot of tribute to the former Minister, Noel Dempsey, who really took on this issue with the late Gay Byrne. They transformed it. They were very unpopular in this House because they took measures that many parliamentarians opposed on drink driving and all sorts of penalties, but they did it and it is a lesson to everybody. Every now and again we need a bit of backbone in politics to do the right thing and get over the short-term opposition and knee-jerk reactions. Our roads did become much safer after that and we significantly reduced road deaths and injuries. We need to do the same now. There is a serious increase - not back to the levels of the 1970s or 1980s - that is causing untold trauma to families and young people. We have had some horrific accidents in recent times that horrify us in terms of the trauma that has been visited on so many parents and families. I favour the retention of the Road Safety Authority as the pre-eminent authority to deal with road safety. It will have the resources to do that.

I thank the Taoiseach and call on Deputy Lawlor to respond.

I am glad to hear the Taoiseach's commitment to public transport. However, in the strategic rail review, the Rosslare to Waterford rail line has been abandoned yet again. There is no investment in the Rosslare Europort to Dublin line, despite the massive investment that is going to happen in Rosslare Europort. Despite the talk, there are known road safety blackspots in every constituency. In my constituency, the absolutely dreadful conditions of rural roads in particular are appalling. It is mainly due to the massive and continuing underfunding of Wexford County Council. Despite the fact that local authorities are doing their best, every TD could say the same about councils across the country. Who is responsible for identifying the structural failures on our roads and ensuring best practice is implemented? Budgets are committed to deliver safer roads and stakeholders are held accountable for failings. Overhauling the Road Safety Authority was the Government's chance to deliver an agency with the powers to make our roads safer, not just to spend on PR campaigns. What will the Government do now to reduce road deaths? What new action will the Taoiseach undertake?

An Garda Síochána will be very active over Christmas in particular. It is conducting a dedicated road traffic enforcement operation throughout the Christmas period, which began on Monday, 1 December and will continue until Monday, 5 January. The Deputy is correct. Investing in better and safer roads, continued enforcement of the law and increasing the allocation of gardaí to front-line duties are all part of the measures that we are going to be taking on an ongoing basis. We are going to implement the road safety strategy 2021 to 2030. We are going to do everything possible through our enforcement. The Garda Commissioner is taking this very seriously. The Minister for justice has been speaking to the Garda Commissioner in respect of this. I accept the Deputy's fundamental point. Every road fatality that occurs on our roads is a profound tragedy for a family somewhere in our country. Collectively, if we are all agreed, I am willing to work with the Opposition in terms of any measures that people think are meritorious in terms of reducing accidents on our roads.