Road Safety Authority Act 2006

Functions of Authority.

4.— (1) The Authority has such functions in respect of certificates of competency, test certificates and registration of driving instructors as conferred on it in accordance with the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2004.

(2) The Minister may by order confer on the Authority such functions of the Minister under section 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 9 of the Road Traffic Act 2002 or section 36(6), (7) or (8) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 as specified in the order and, accordingly, a reference to the Minister in a provision so specified or connected with it includes a reference to the Authority.

(3) Every function of the Minister conferred on the Authority continues to be vested in the Minister, but is so vested concurrently with the Authority and the Minister so as to be capable of being exercised or performed by either of them.

(4) The Minister may by order require the Authority to carry out any or all of the following functions:

(a) such advisory, executive, administrative and organisational functions as may be specified in the order in respect of driving and provisional licences (within the meaning of the Road Traffic Act 1961 ), standards related to the registration, construction, equipment, use, testing and examination of vehicles and their components and replacement parts, including standards for the type approval of new vehicles and vehicle components and standards for vehicles already in use; and

(b) the promotion of public awareness of road safety and of measures, including the advancement of education, relating to the promotion of the safe use of roads, including co-operation with local authorities and other persons in this regard.

(5) The Minister may by order confer on the Authority the power—

(a) to appoint transport officers for the purposes of section 15 of the Road Transport Act 1986 , and

(b) to bring and prosecute summary proceedings for offences as set out in section 17, or as specified by the Minister by order under section 18 (1)(b), of the Road Transport Act 1986 .

(6) Every order made by the Minister under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the order is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the order is laid before it, the order shall be annulled accordingly but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under it.