Almost 1,900 fines and penalty points issued on N17 in Mayo revoked due to camera error

LAST UPDATE | 8 hrs ago

ALMOST 1,900 fixed charge notices issued on the N17 in Mayo between December and February are being revoked due to an “error” with the speed safety camera.

The N17 speed safety camera system went live on 20 December 2024.

However, it was not operational between 1 January 2025 and 17 January 2025 as it had been vandalised – this is the subject of a criminal investigation.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris brought up the incident in his monthly briefing to the Policing Authority in January.

He said that between the date when three of the cameras went live and 16 January 2025, a total of 1,760 speeders were detected by the devices.

He said that tickets have been sent through the fixed charge notice system.

“Gardaí are investigating criminal damage to one of those static speed safety cameras at the N17 on 31 December 2024. The damage was repaired and the device is operational again,” Harris said last month.

Some 1,871 were issued between 20 December 2024 and 12 February and will now be revoked due to the error.

A garda spokesperson said that on 12 February, gardaí and the safety camera provider GoSafe identified an issue whereby the static speed camera on the N17 near Claremorris was fully functional and accurately identifying offences, but not certified.

It is standard procedure that all cameras used for speeding detection have valid calibration certificates issued by GoSafe.

The camera was certified on 13 February and has been operational since 14 February.

Gardaí say that the more than 230 speeding fines issued from the speed safety camera system on the N17 since 14 February are valid.

It added that all certificates of calibration for cameras used at average speed, static locations and in safety camera vans are valid.

Of the 1,871 fixed charge notices issued over this period, 800 were paid and penalty points applied.

Some 123 were paid but the error was identified prior to penalty points being applied, and of the remaining 948 notices that were issued, no payment was made prior to the error being identified, therefore no penalty points were applied.  

There were no summons issued relating to non-payment of these fines within this time period.

A garda spokesperson said that gardaí will now request proof of camera calibration certification when cameras are installed and/or changed, rather than at prosecution stage.

Chief Superintendent Roads Policing, Jane Humphries, said that the “error is very much regretted”.

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A GoSafe spokesperson meanwhile said it is “committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety”.

The spokesperson said that during a routine quality assurance check, GoSafe “identified that the calibration certificate for radar components in a static speed camera on the N17 in Mayo had expired”.

“The accuracy and validity of the camera system was not affected at any time and all speeding offences were correctly identified,” said the GoSafe spokesperson.

“However, it is standard procedure that all cameras used for speeding detection have valid calibration certificates.

“The radar component of the camera in question has since been recertified and cleared without issue.”

GoSafe said it has since conducted an internal review and that all other static, mobile, and average speed enforcement cameras are fully certified and that it has “implemented enhanced safeguards within our quality assurance processes”.

Gardaí have informed the Departments of Justice and Transport, the Policing Authority, the Road Safety Authority, and the Safety Camera Board of the matter.

It is cancelling any fines and penalty points resulting from these notices.

Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien today said he it taking the issue “very seriously” and will “look into it in detail”.

“No one should be carrying penalty points that were detected in this way, so I need to look into the detail of that. But you can be assured that that will be done as a matter of priority,” said O’Brien.

When asked how such an error could have arisen, the minister replied: “I’m being very honest with you, I don’t know.

“I literally heard about this five minutes ago. I will be looking into it. I do take it very seriously,” he added

O’Brien said there must be “learnings from this” and that authorities will “have to ensure certification” of speed cameras.

He also stressed the requirement now for a nationwide “double check” of the certification “of all of our speed check vans” to ensure they are “exactly as they should be”.

“We will be looking into it in detail, and it is a matter for the Gardaí as well and we will been working with them,” he said.

From today, gardaí are writing to each individual affected and refunds will issue, with penalty points removed where necessary.

Motorists impacted by this do not need to do anything and will receive a letter in the post.

However, if they have further concerns they can call 0818 50 60 80.

GoSafe meanwhile has put in place measures to prevent reoccurrence of the error, including weekly confirmation of certification status of all speed safety cameras.

-With additional reporting from Niall O’Connor

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