To ask the Minister for Infrastructure how many road deaths have occurred since 1 January 2016; and what measures his Department will put in place to reduce road fatalities.

At 13 June 2016, a total of 22 people have lost their lives on roads in the North of Ireland this year. This compares to 32 at the same time last year and 31 for 2014.

My Department continues to take a range of actions to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads. We focus on the key causes of road casualties, and on groups which are over-represented in the casualty figures.

The Road Traffic (Amendment) Act (NI) 2016 which completed its passage through the Assembly earlier this year makes provision for a new drink driving regime and a new Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Scheme. Work is already underway to develop the significant package of subordinate legislation now required to implement the new measures.

My Department has a statutory duty to promote road safety and, within the context of the Northern Ireland Road Safety Strategy, does this through a wide range of rolling road safety education activities, including road safety public information campaigns and education programmes.

Through its current portfolio of awareness campaigns, my Department in 2016 will continue to focus on problem areas, such as drink driving, speeding, carelessness and inattention; and on groups which are over-represented in the casualty figures.

My Department also continues to provide a range of resources and schemes to be used by teachers to allow them to improve road safety behaviours in children and young people. Resources are also available to community organisations to aid them promote road safety in local areas and I am announcing this week that the 2016/17 road safety grant scheme is now open for applications.

I recognise the continuing challenges of preventing road deaths and serious injuries and as such my Department will continue to address the issues through various activities.