Kilkenny drivers getting the point, speeding convictions plummet

SPEEDING convictions have fallen drastically in Kilkenny over the past three years.

Newly-release official figures reveal the number of speeding convictions in Kilkenny district court area have plummeted by more than two thirds, from 244 in 2016 to just 73 last year.

The huge reduction in local speeding convictions comes against the backdrop of a nationwide drop of almost 40%.

Kilkenny was among the counties that experienced the greatest reductions in speeding offences.

In Cavan, the number of defendants convicted of speeding dropped from 133 in 2016 to just 27 last year, while in Dundalk convictions were down from 109 to 28 over the same period.

Convictions in Galway dropped from 266 to 74. In Bray, Co Wicklow, they went from 120 to 50 while numbers in Thurles, Co Tipperary, dipped from 62 to 16.

In Gorey, Co Wexford, convictions decreased from 145 to 70 In Ballinasloe, Co Galway, there were no convictions at all last year compared to the 42 recorded three years ago.

The figures, first published in The Irish Times, were released by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan in response to a parliamentary question from Meath West TD and Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín.