Latest news with #CynthiaNíMhurchú
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Almost 6,000 caught driving without seatbelt last year, figures show
Almost 6,000 people were caught driving without wearing a seatbelt last year, according to new data. Garda figures show that 5,848 drivers were caught and fined in 2024 for not wearing a seatbelt while behind the wheel. Advertisement There was a 95 per cent increase in detections for the offence in Galway in 2024 compared to the previous year, followed by a 72 per cent increase in Kerry. Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, a substitute member of the European Parliament's Transport Committee, described the figures as "truly shocking". "On the 1st of February, 1979, Ireland introduced legislation that made the wearing of seat belts mandatory for front seat passengers and drivers," Ms Ní Mhurchú said. "Forty-six years later, and almost 6,000 Irish people are caught not wearing a seat belt. There is no excuse. I do not understand why someone would not buckle up." Advertisement Ireland Gardaí ask people to stop sharing videos after wom... Read More The Garda figures also show that more offenders are caught not wearing seatbelts in the summer months. Ms Ní Mhurchú has called for a commitment in the Programme for Government to "introduce new road safety cameras to automatically detect mobile phone use and non-wearing of seat belts" to be implemented immediately. Fines and penalty points are given to adults who do not wear a seatbelt or allow children under 17 to travel while not properly restrained in the car. Ms Ní Mhurchú said it was vitally important that parents ensure that their children are properly strapped into the car, with RSA research showing that four in five children are not strapped in properly.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
‘Truly shocking' figures show nearly 6,000 caught not wearing a seat belt last year
A total of 5,848 people were handed a fixed charge notice for not wearing a seat belt last year. This represents a rise on the 5,477 people caught not wearing a seat belt in 2023. Gardaí issue fixed charge notices when an adult occupant of a car is caught not wearing their seat belt, when an adult has failed to make sure a passenger aged under 17 is wearing their belt or when 'necessary child restrain system obligations' are not met. Failure to wear a seat belt carries a fixed charge fine of €120 and three penalty points. Someone convicted in court of not wearing a seat belt faces a €2,500 fine and five penalty points. Fianna Fáil MEP for Ireland South Cynthia Ní Mhurchú called for a 'get-tough approach' on the non-wearing of seat belts and the use of mobile phones while driving, two of the 'leading factors in road deaths in Ireland'. She described the number of people caught not wearing their seat belts last year as 'truly shocking'. 'On February 1, 1979, Ireland introduced legislation that made the wearing of seat belts mandatory for front seat passengers and drivers,' Ms Ní Mhurchú said. "46 years later, and almost 6,000 Irish people are caught not wearing a seat belt. There is no excuse. I do not understand why someone would not buckle up.' A commitment was made in the Programme for Government for the introduction of 'new road safety cameras to automatically detect mobile phone use and non-wearing of seat belts'. It is currently only possible to issue fixed charge notices for offences like distracted driving and the non-wearing of seat belts if the offence is caught by a garda. Ms Ní Mhurchú has called for that commitment to be fulfilled and for these cameras to be put in place 'immediately'. She also highlighted the importance of parents making sure their children are properly strapped in while in the car. Research from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has shown up to four in five child car seats are incorrectly fitted. Incorrect fitting of a child seat can result in serious injury or fatality if a collision occurs. The RSA previously surveyed 5,000 checks on child car seats, with more than 4,000 requiring some adjustment and most requiring a 'major' adjustment.
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Irish politicians attend huge banned Budapest Pride event as Victor Orbán threatens ‘legal consequences' to marchers
They were among a record number of people expected to attend the event, despite Mr Orbán threatening there would be 'legal consequences' for organisers and attendees. More than 100,000 people are thought to have attended the event which saw large parts of central Budapest overtaken by the movement. Mr O'Gorman and MEPs Maria Walsh and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú were in the crowd marching through the Hungarian capital today. Those in attendance 'face the possibility of arrest, a fine of up to €500 and imprisonment of up to one year under Hungarian law,' said Ms Walsh, who urged any Irish citizens intending on travelling to Budapest to be on 'high alert'. The Fine Gael MEP described the decision to ban Pride marches in Hungary as a 'frightening step backwards for members of the LGBTQI+ community across Europe'. 'I am proud to be marching in Budapest Pride this weekend. In a year when Orbán has classified public displays of love within my own community as a child protection issue, we must all fight back." The Hungarian government enacted a hugely controversial so-called 'child protection' law in 2021 that prohibits the "depiction or promotion' of homosexuality to children under the age of 18. A bill was also passed by the parliament that makes it illegal to hold any public gatherings that breached that law, with further legislation effectively banning Pride events. The European Court of Human Rights has previously ruled in a case involving Russia that banning such events breaches human rights protections. Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, who will attend the march today, described the banning of Pride as a 'blatant attack on our civil liberties with the European Union'. She backed calls for the European Commission to intervene, including requesting interim measures in the ongoing infringement procedure against Hungary's 2021 anti-LGBTQ+ law. "The Hungarian Government's repeated violations of the rule of law and EU treaty principles is setting a dangerous precedent.' Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who was in Hungary for a conference earlier this week, said the atmosphere in Budapest has been 'tense' in the days ahead of the march. He told RTÉ's Drivetime that while he expects Hungarian authorities will not use 'batons and tear gas on tens of thousands of people' as 'the world would see that', the Green Party mayor of the city could be prosecuted and facial recognition technology will be used to identify attendees and fine them. "This is very oppressive, this is all contrary to European law, by the way, so I think there's a role for the European Union to play here in overturning some of these laws.' It comes as tens of thousands of people are expected to take part in Dublin's Pride parade today.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Irish politicians to attend banned Budapest Pride event as Victor Orbán threatens participants with ‘legal consequences'
They will be among a record number of people expected to attend the event, despite Mr Orbán threatening there would be 'legal consequences' for organisers and attendees. Mr O'Gorman and MEPs Maria Walsh and Cynthia Ní Mhurchú will in the crowd marching through the Hungarian capital today. Former Taoiseach Leo Varadar is also set to take part in the parade. Those in attendance 'face the possibility of arrest, a fine of up to €500 and imprisonment of up to one year under Hungarian law,' said Ms Walsh, who urged any Irish citizens intending on travelling to Budapest to be on 'high alert'. The Fine Gael MEP described the decision to ban Pride marches in Hungary as a 'frightening step backwards for members of the LGBTQI+ community across Europe'. 'I am proud to be marching in Budapest Pride this weekend. In a year when Orbán has classified public displays of love within my own community as a child protection issue, we must all fight back." The Hungarian government enacted a hugely controversial so-called 'child protection' law in 2021 that prohibits the "depiction or promotion' of homosexuality to children under the age of 18. A bill was also passed by the parliament that makes it illegal to hold any public gatherings that breached that law, with further legislation effectively banning Pride events. The European Court of Human Rights has previously ruled in a case involving Russia that banning such events breaches human rights protections. Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, who will attend the march today, described the banning of Pride as a 'blatant attack on our civil liberties with the European Union'. She backed calls for the European Commission to intervene, including requesting interim measures in the ongoing infringement procedure against Hungary's 2021 anti-LGBTQ+ law. ADVERTISEMENT "The Hungarian Government's repeated violations of the rule of law and EU treaty principles is setting a dangerous precedent.' Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the atmosphere in Budapest has been 'tense' in the days ahead of the march. He told RTÉ's Drivetime that while he expects Hungarian authorities will not use 'batons and tear gas on tens of thousands of people' as 'the world would see that', the Green Party mayor of the city could be prosecuted and facial recognition technology will be used to identify attendees and fine them. "This is very oppressive, this is all contrary to European law, by the way, so I think there's a role for the European Union to play here in overturning some of these laws.' It comes as tens of thousands of people are expected to take part in Dublin's Pride parade today.
Irish Independent
15-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Wexford homes experienced an 18 per cent increase in power outages in 2024
Figures provided to Cynthia Ní Mhurchú by ESB Networks under Freedom of Information show significant year on year increases in power cuts across Ireland between 2021 and 2024. There were 64,754 power cuts across Ireland in 2024, both planned and unplanned outages. This is a 22 per cent increase on 2023 where there were 53,067 power cuts. Between 2021 and 2024, residents have seen a 40 per cent increase in the number of power cuts, both planned and unplanned, across Ireland. She highlighted that some areas across Ireland seem more prone to power cuts than others. Enniscorthy had 2,507 power cuts in 2024, compared to Limerick which only had 737 power cuts in 2024. Sligo had 3,211 power cuts in 2024, up from 1,973 in 2021. ESB Networks also provided MEP Ní Mhurchú with a breakdown of the reasons for the power cuts which included bird strikes, weather issues, lightening, overhead refurbishment, overloading, and corrosion. Of more concern was the large increase in power cuts which were attributed to 'defective equipment.' Ní Mhurchú has called on ESB Networks to clarify why there is a 22 per cent jump in power outages across the country between 2023 and 2024. She has also called for a new system of compensation for householders and small businesses for outages lasting more than 12 hours. She also said that customers should not be charged for standing charges and levies when the power it out. 'My worry is that ESB Networks may be trying to cut costs by not investing in our electricity infrastructure to the extent that they should be. Power cuts have an enormous impact on families, in particular as many homes are now passive homes that depend on heat pumps and don't have open fires or stoves." Ní Mhurchú has described the dramatic increase in the number of power outages as requiring an explanation from ESB Networks, a profitable company that should be prioritising increased investment in the electricity grid. 'Customers deserve an explanation as to why they are facing more power cuts when they are paying the second highest electricity prices in Europe. The least Irish customers deserve is more investment in the infrastructure that delivers that electricity.'
