Ní Mhurchú calls for nighttime curfew for novices

CARLOW native and Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has said that Ireland should consider nighttime curfews for novice drivers in an effort to curb road fatalities and accidents.

Ms Ni Mhurchú, who is a member of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, provided the suggestions following an engagement with the European Transport Safety Council, where she heard strategies that other EU member states are employing to reduce road deaths.

Due to Ireland’s above average statistics for young driver fatalities in comparison to the EU average, the Fianna Fáil MEP said that novice or learner drivers could, for example, be banned from driving between midnight and 5am, unless commuting for work.

Nighttime driving restrictions for young people on graduated driving licences (GDL) exist more commonly outside Europe in places such as Australia and Canada. However, Finland recently passed a law that will see 17-year-old drivers banned from being on the road between midnight and 5am.

Ms Ní Mhurchú also called for Ireland to explore the introduction of Alcolocks—which require a driver to blow into a breathalyser before their engine starts—for repeat drink-driving offenders, as well as the potential use of camera portals allowing road users to upload dashcam footage of dangerous driving to a police portal.

Ms Ní Mhurchú said what she wants is for Ireland to “properly address the enforcement and technology gap” in the country’s fight to reduce road deaths.

As of 2 June, An Garda Síochána’s roads policing data shows there have been 73 road deaths so far in 2026, with 18 people losing their lives on Irish roads in the month of May.

“Other EU countries rely far more heavily on automated, non-discretionary enforcement than Ireland does, freeing up physical police units and changing driver behaviour through the absolute certainty of getting caught,” she said.

Ms Ní Mhurchú criticised the country’s reliance on static or mobile garda speed vans and checkpoints and called for a greater increase in the number of average speed cameras on our roads.

“For example, Finland has 1,100 speed cameras and Sweden has 2,500. In Ireland, we have just 14 with a target to roll out another 20 per year,” Ms Ní Mhurchú said.