REVEALED: Waterford drivers hit with €681k in Garda speed van fines in just 30 months

Waterford motorists have forked out more than €681,000 in Garda speed van fines over the past two and a half years, new figures show.

The numbers released to Fianna Fáil MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú reveal that between January 2023 and June 8 this year, speed vans across the county clocked up €681,360 in penalties, with most fines issued in Waterford city, followed by Tramore and Dungarvan.

Nationally, more than €32.4 million in fines was generated in the same period, with Dublin topping the table on €6.2m, followed by Tipperary (€3.3m) and Cork (€2.9m). Waterford's figure is lower than Wexford's (€855k) and far behind Cork's.

READ MORE | Waterford dancer brings her talent to Guinness Storehouse's new street art spectacle

Ní Mhurchú, who sits on the EU Transport Committee, is now calling for a "get tough" approach to speeding, particularly on rural roads and at accident blackspots.

“Speeding caused the deaths of 52 Irish people in 2024," she said. "That's 52 families across the country mourning loved ones because we have failed to tackle speeding in any meaningful way."

She pointed to a European Commission report which found that up to 30% of fatal crashes are caused directly by speeding, and welcomed extra funding for 100 new speed cameras approved last year.

READ MORE | Waterford man named Farm Safety Community Champion in new national programme

However, she warned that smarter positioning of existing vans and further investment in technology were vital, while also suggesting re-education courses for repeat offenders.

Gardaí also confirmed that over €44 million was paid to private operators running the vans since 2023, meaning the system is running at an overall financial loss.