Former Transport Minister Shane Ross had secured Cabinet approval in 2019 for a new system which would have imposed sanctions on drivers according to the extent to which they exceed the speed limit.

However, the plans have been scrapped by Transport Minister Eamon Ryan on the basis that they would be too confusing to bring in alongside other planned changes to speeding legislation.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport told the Irish Independent that it would be “risky and unwise to have two simultaneous significant changes in the speeding legislation”.

They added: “The Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill already includes a significant initiative in the area of speeding, namely the policy to allow the introduction of variable speed limits on the motorway network, beginning with the M50.

“The variable speed limits system will require significant public education to promote awareness of the new system and driver adaptation.”