The RSA is “squandering money” by spending €800,000 on a road safety campaign that included a TV advert, according to Michael Healy Rae. 

The Kerry TD has branded the ‘30km Town’ campaign as a “glorified tourism advert” for Clonakilty, the town it was filmed in.

Some 79 people have been killed on roads so far this year, up eight from the same period last year.

On Newstalk Breakfast, Deputy Healy Rae said the Government should prioritise road safety spending on accident blackspots.

“The RSA recently spent over €800,000 on one single TV advert for that '30km Town' campaign,” he said.

“In my own opinion, it’s a glorified tourism advert for the town of Clonakilty.

“Yet Kerry County Council only received €550,000 for the entire county to progress road safety measures in 2024.”

Strategy

Deputy Healy Rae called for a change in strategy.

“I would be considering it squandering money doing TV adverts that have little to no effect,” he said.

“That money would be far better spent by local authorities.

“For instance, in County Kerry, our hardworking councillors have identified so many shovel-ready projects, dangerous junctions that only need a small amount of money in the pipe.”

A sign on a narrow road in County Cavan. Image: Cavan Images / Alamy Stock Photo

The Independent TD said people are becoming frustrated.

“If you knew it would cost €30,000 to improve a junction greatly, where there are many accidents, and you heard €800,000 was spent on an ad campaign and Kerry County Council was only getting €550,000 for the county – you would question that,” he said.

“The Taoiseach has acknowledged that money was being spent at dangerous junctions, but not enough.

“He did make the argument that advertising campaigns were useful and important – I’m not denying that either.”

Bigger picture

Deputy Healy Rae also said Government needs to look at the bigger picture.

“When we see all these very sad deaths occurring on our roads and so many people tragically lose their lives on our roads, we have to look at the bigger picture,” he said.

“The bigger picture is it’s not all about applying penalty points, penalising drivers; it’s about improving the roads our drivers are travelling on.”

He added that people are “questioning where their hard-earned money is going” when driving through dangerous junctions daily.

Main image: Michael Healy-Rae addressing media on the plinth outside Leinster House, 15/02/2022. Image: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie