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A 24 hour national speed enforcement operation is under way in the Republic of Ireland following an "alarming increase" in road deaths.

The 'Slow Down' day, which began at 07:OO local time, aims to remind drivers of the dangers of speeding and to increase compliance with speed limits.

Gardaí (Irish police) said the operation has taken on "increased urgency and relevance" because of the number of people killed on the roads this year.

There have been 127 deaths on Irish roads in 2023 - 23 more than the same period last year and 38 more than the same period in 2019.

Figures show that people under the age of 25 accounted for a third of all deaths on roads so far this year.

Assistant Comissioner Paula Hilman of Roads Policing and Community Engagement said the "trauma on our roads so far in 2023 is and will have lasting impacts on families and communities".

"An Garda Síochána continues to carry out speed enforcement across our roads," the senior officer said.

"Every driver has a personal responsibility to not only drive within the posted speed limit but also to drive at a speed appropriate to the conditions.

"Speeding is reckless, not just to the motorists themselves and their passengers, but to all road users, especially vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists.

"This is not just about speeding enforcement detections. It's about saving lives”.

Chief executive of the Road Safety Authority Sam Waide said there is "a speed epidemic" in the Republic of Ireland.

"Speeding increases both the likelihood of a road traffic collision occurring, and the severity of injury sustained, should a collision occur.

"Speed has a huge impact on whether a vulnerable road user is killed or seriously injured when a collision occurs.

"We simply have to ask every single driver to play their part in saving lives, routinely slowing down for every single trip, every single day. National Slow Down Day is the day for us all to start.”