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MEP Ní Mhurchú calls for increased speed enforcement PLUS KILLARNEY ADVERTISER OPINION 

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Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú is calling for a stronger approach to speeding on rural roads, with a specific focus on the Killarney area. The call comes as new figures show that Garda speed vans have collected significantly less revenue in Kerry compared to other counties, suggesting a lack of enforcement.In the Killarney Garda District, fines from speed vans amounted to €78,560 in 2023, €77,600 in 2024, and just €17,120 in the first half of 2025. These figures indicate a downward trend in fines collected locally.Nationally, over €32 million was collected in fines between January 2023 and early June 2025. However, in Kerry, the total collected was only €482,080 during the same period. By comparison, Tipperary saw fines of over €3.3 million.Ní Mhurchú, a member of the EU Transport Committee, is pushing for more speed vans to be deployed at accident black spots and on rural roads in Kerry to improve road safety.

 

Opinion: Speed vans are not about safety, they are about revenue

By Sean Moriarty
Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has expressed disappointment that speed vans in Kerry collected “only” €482,080 in fines over a 30-month period.
Her choice of words is telling. Instead of welcoming the fact that drivers in Kerry are, by her own figures, driving more safely than in other counties, she frames it as a problem because it does not generate enough money.
This proves what many have argued for years: speed vans are a cash cow. Ní Mhurchú’s comments read more like those of a business owner unhappy with sales figures than a public representative concerned with safety.
Road fatalities in Kerry have shown a decline since 2023. The county recorded 10 deaths on its roads in 2023, which fell to seven in 2024 and three so far in 2025 (up to July). The figures indicate a downward trend in road deaths, reflecting improved road safety in the county over the past two years.

The people of Kerry should be commended, not criticised. If lower fine numbers mean drivers are behaving responsibly, then the vans have served their purpose. Yet the MEP calls for even more vans at rural black spots, as if revenue rather than safety is the real measure of success.
The MEP highlighted that while Garda speed vans collected over €32 million in fines, the Gardaí paid out over €44 million to private operators during a similar period, indicating the system is operating at an overall loss. That’s a failed business model, not a successful road safety campaign.
The use of the word “only” is particularly distressing. Less than half a million euro collected in Kerry in two and a half years should be seen as proof that drivers here are more careful, not as a reason to flood the county with more cameras.
Ní Mhurchú’s disappointment exposes the real function of speed vans is not saving lives, but generating income.

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Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

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O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Muckross co-driver Noel O’Sullivan is set for a busy season as he returns to the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) while also preparing for a record-breaking attempt on home soil.

O’Sullivan and driver Callum Devine have signed with the Swedish team JC Raceteknik for a full campaign focused on asphalt events. Their season begins this week at the Andalusia Rally – Sierra Morena in Spain. O’Sullivan remains the only Killarney-based co-driver competing at this level for a full season.
He brings significant international experience to the team, having previously worked with WRC driver Jon Armstrong during his early European outings. O’Sullivan and Devine recently proved their pace against top European crews with a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Rali Ceredigion in Wales.
Devine said:
“I’m really looking forward to coming back to the ERC. It’s always great for a driver to compete against Europe’s best on some iconic events. We’ve had great success back home in Ireland over the past few seasons, winning two Irish Tarmac Rally Championships, and we feel now is the right time to come back and take on some ERC events. Starting with Rally Sierra Morena, I’m delighted to be joining JC Raceteknik. I know they are a very professional team with a wealth of experience, and I’m looking forward to working closely with them.”
The European schedule will not interfere with O’Sullivan’s local plans. Following the rally in Spain, the pair will return to Kerry for the Rally of the Lakes over the May Bank Holiday weekend. They are aiming for a fifth consecutive victory in Killarney as they look to move back into the lead of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
The move to the European stage follows a successful week for O’Sullivan, who was recently named the International Motorsport winner at the Kerry Sports Star Awards.

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June


A new heritage motoring event, the Killarney Classic Tour, has been confirmed for June 26–27, 2026. The two-day tour is designed to celebrate the iconic rally stages of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula.


Headquartered at the Gleneagle Hotel, the event is non-competitive and open to a wide range of vintage and historic cars. Organisers are placing a particular focus on period-correct rally cars and recreations that reflect the history of the Circuit of Ireland, the Circuit of Munster, and the early years of the Rally of the Lakes.
The tour is the work of two well-known figures in Irish rallying, Mike Marshall and Micheal O’Mahoney. Marshall, a founding member of the Rally of the Lakes and Clerk of the Course for over 20 years, has designed a route that allows drivers to experience famous stages like Moll’s Gap at a relaxed pace. O’Mahoney, a long-term supporter of the sport through Rentokil and a historic car owner himself, joins Marshall in the venture.

Co-Founder O’Mahoney said:
“This event is about bringing people back together – the cars, the stories, and the friendships that have always been part of rallying. It’s a chance to step away from competition and simply enjoy these roads.”



The Saturday itinerary includes a lunch stop in Castletownbere before the field returns to Killarney for a gala dinner at the Gleneagle Hotel. The evening will feature guest speakers and a focus on the shared history of the sport.
“This event is about bringing people back together — the cars, the stories, and the friendships,” added Micheal O’Mahoney.
Registrations are now open at www.KillarneyClassicTour.ie.

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