Fines for 16 road safety offences including speeding and using a phone while driving have doubled.
Speeding fines have gone from €80 to €160 while the fine for using a mobile phone goes from €60 to €120.
Fines for not wearing a seatbelt and for failing to ensure that a child is properly restrained also jumps to €120.
The fine for a learner permit holder driving a vehicle unaccompanied will also increase from €80 to €160, while the penalty for novice and learner drivers not displaying ‘L’ or ‘N’ plates will double to €120.
Deputy Michael Healy-Rae said the doubling of fines was “to do with revenue” and said it was “not a sensible way of tackling a most serious problem”.
However, Minister of State for Transport Hildegarde Naughton has defended doubling fines for some road offences amid claims the government introduced them “just to be seen to do something”.
She said the measures are “evidence-based actions” and were taken to act as a “deterrent” for people when it comes to offences such as speeding and driving while using a mobile phone.
The minister said research conducted by Gardaí and the RSA show these offences “have a direct consequence” on the number of road fatalities.
But Deputy Healy Rae hit back by saying “They just want to be seen to be doing something. But what they’re doing is they’re hammering our hard-pressed motorists. Doubling the fine – do they think people are made of money?
“I think it’s crazy. I think it’s wrong. And it shows a lack of understanding by government, number one, of the problem that we have because they’re not tackling it properly. And number two, there’s no consideration for the people that they serve,” Deputy Healy-Rae said.
Ms Naughton said Mr Healy-Rae’s comments were “deeply unhelpful” and this was about saving lives.
