Simon Harris, the anticipated taoiseach, has voiced his worries regarding the increased number of fatalities on Ireland’s roads since the beginning of the year. He has stated his intention to prioritise road safety by arranging an immediate meeting with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and Garda as soon as his election is ratified.
Speaking on the final day of the Fairyhouse Easter races, he expressed disquiet over the rising incidents of drivers found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol over the holiday weekend. He cautioned that such lax attitudes towards impaired driving could seriously jeopardise the efforts made for road safety, highlighting a real threat of regression in this area.
Harris voiced his intention to engage in initial meetings with relevant parties, like the RSA and Garda, regarding this issue, stating that his office has already initiated contact. While appreciating the Garda’s commendable efforts in overseeing Ireland’s roads over the weekend, he expressed concern about the high arrest rate with respect to drunk or drugged driving.
In his view, the misperception that it’s okay to drive under influence poses a broader problem that warrants attention. Harris expressed dismay at the fact that this could potentially undo the substantial developments made in road safety over the years, promising to prioritise this matter.
The prospective taoiseach also affirmed that he’s yet to finalise any decisions concerning his Cabinet once he assumes office, projected to be on April 9th.
Looking ahead, there are matters I shall contemplate in due course. However, at present, my concentration is entirely devoted to policy development and effective execution. The upcoming Fine Gael ardfheis will allow me to expound upon the aspects I believe warrant substantial headway, to the Irish populace. With the aid of my colleagues, I hope to hone in on parts where I see potential for delivering meaningful outcomes for the people in the succeeding days,” he remarked.
The total number of Garda officers assigned to traffic enforcement has declined by over a hundred since the previous year.
Moreover, Mr Harris dismissed the idea of forging alliances with Independents, although welcoming dialogues with them, he stressed he would not partake in transactional discussions.
“Indeed, I am continually interacting with individuals spanning the political cosmos. There’s no denying that at times, Independents have displayed their support for the government, even during the election of the taoiseach. I am eager to glean the perspectives of Independent members on this subject. Of course, I am always amenable to suggestions on enhancing the delivery of service for our citizens,” he added.
He acknowledged the necessity of an active ear in politics, a willingness to be approachable, and a ready-passion to indulge in conversation, even though these discussions won’t be transactional in nature. He accepted that the government holds a majority in the Dáil, yet expressed his openness to interacting with Independents who have previously backed the government, to see if they could extend their support once more.