SPEED cameras have been set up in Dublin's port tunnel after it emerged more than half of drivers are breaching the 80km per hour limit.
The 'average speed' cameras will be in use at either end of the tunnel from today.
They will calculate the time taken by each vehicle to pass through and any making the journey in under three-and-a-half minutes will automatically be fined.
The 4.5km tunnel sees around 650,000 journeys a month but its operator said 58 per cent of motorists are driving over the speed limit.
The port tunnel connects the M50 in north Dublin with the city centre and was opened in 2006 primarily to bring heavy goods traffic away from congested streets, but is also used by many northern motorists.
Vehicles are charged tolls ranging from €3 to €10 depending on the time of travel.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland said the cameras are being introduced because tunnel traffic has risen by 40 per cent over the last five years, increasing the potential for accidents.
Any driver found to have broken the speed limit will be sent an €80 fine and three penalty points.
However, is understood the points cannot apply to northern drivers unless they have an Irish driving licence.
Average speed cameras are already used by the PSNI on the A2 between Bangor and Holywood, attracting more than 1,000 fines in the last year.
Meanwhile, the Republic's transport minister has pledged there will be no pulling back from an upgraded Derry to Dublin road link as a result of Brexit.
Shane Ross said whatever the outcome of the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU, the new A5/N2 route would go ahead.
"We are committed to that," he told an Oireachtas transport committee in Dublin.
He added: "I see absolutely no pulling back from that at all and I don't see why Brexit should hinder that".
The Republic's government has already committed €200 million to the southern links on the project as well as €465 million for the A5 section in the north.
