Gardaí have assured the government that will be no loss of focus on road safety during the coronavirus outbreak.

A meeting was held between Transport Minister Shane Ross, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan and key road safety stakeholders to discuss the importance of continued road traffic enforcement.

An Garda Síochána, like all stakeholders, has engaged in contingency planning to ensure that services will continue throughout the current situation.

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Speaking following the meeting, Minister Ross said: "We are all aware that the COVID 19 virus has been spreading with, sadly, the first confirmed death from the virus in Ireland today. Everyone has a responsibility to follow the advice given by the HSE in order to reduce the risk of transmission, and I advise people who are concerned to check the HSE's website for information.  At the same time, the Government is of course taking prudent measures to ensure that we continue to provide the services the public expect during this period. In this context, I was very pleased to hear from the Garda Síochána and other key organisations that there will be no loss of focus on road safety during the time when we are dealing with this viral outbreak. We need to remember that saving lives always matters, especially after a particularly disappointing month for road deaths in February of this year."

(CM/MH)